| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07665147B2 |
Authentication of HTTP applications
An apparatus such as an HTTP proxy server compares information of a request by HTTP client logic with a known pattern of information for the client logic. When the information of the request matches the known pattern, the HTTP proxy server causes content and/or software to be communicated to the client in response to the request. Depending upon the results of the comparison, the HTTP proxy may also validate or invalidate the request before communicating it to the server. |
| US07665143B2 |
Creating secure process objects
A secure process may be created which does not allow code to be injected into it, does not allow modification of its memory or inspection of its memory. The resources protected in a secure process include all the internal state and threads running in the secure process. Once a secure process is created, the secure process is protected from access by non-secure processes. Process creation occurs atomically in kernel mode. Creating the infrastructure of a process in kernel mode enables security features to be applied that are difficult or impossible to apply in user mode. By moving setup actions previously occurring in user mode such as creating the initial thread, allocating the stack, initialization of the parameter block, environment block and context record into kernel mode, the need of the caller for full access fights to the created process is removed. |
| US07665142B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus
An image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus can easily handle various kinds of documents including a special document and a normal document without problems of counterfeit by copy. The image processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus have a circuit for processing image data. A signal generating circuit generates a signal to prevent an image formation of a specified document. The signal generating circuit is detachably attached to the circuit for processing image data. |
| US07665141B2 |
Origin and custody of copies from a stored electronic record verified page by page
A method of authenticating a copy of a multi-page document, which includes digitizing a said multi-page document to generate one or more digitized files that together comprise a digitized transcript. A mark that is unique to the preparer of the document, such as a signature, is prepared and digitized. The preparer of the document is allowed to deposit the digitized transcript on an online repository. The operator of the online repository immediately establishes a verification process for the deposited digitized transcript. This verification process includes associating the digitized preparer mark with the deposited digitized transcript, and freezing the transcript, by encrypting it and deriving a checksum. The verification process also include associating a repository mark with the transcript. The operator of the online repository defines, under the direction of at least the preparer of the document, security rights to limit or otherwise control access to the deposited digitized transcript. The digitized preparer mark and the digitized repository mark are allowed to appear on substantially all copies of the pages of the document only if the pages have not been altered. If carrying out the verification process verifies that the deposited digitized transcript has not been changed since the verification process was established the marks are displayed with the unaltered page. This display whether the pages are displayed on a monitor or printed in paper form. Each page with this display is thus authenticated as to origin and custody apart from the other pages or the transcript as a whole. |
| US07665138B2 |
Detecting method and architecture thereof for malicious codes
A detecting method and architecture thereof for malicious codes is provided, which is applicable to a computer system having at least a host. Each host executes at least a process. The method is implemented with a system call interposition module and an analysis module for malicious codes. The system call module intercepts all system calls of process calls and all related arguments of the system calls. The analysis module for malicious codes analyzes the input data of pre-determined system calls, and executes the suspicious malicious codes. Once the same behaviors between the analysis module and the suspicious malicious codes are found, a system-intrusion warning is immediately triggered. The method is not required to maintain huge signature databases, and can detect unknown attack-skills in a manner of high correct rate and low incorrect ruling. |
| US07665136B1 |
Method and apparatus for detecting hidden network communication channels of rootkit tools
Methods and apparatuses for detecting hidden network channels of rootkit tools are described. In one embodiment, critical endpoint events detected at an endpoint computer system are selectively logged to an endpoint database. Also, critical network events associated with the endpoint computer system and detected on a network are selectively logged to a gateway database. Periodically some or all of the entries in the endpoint database are compared to entries in the gateway database. Entries detected at the network but not detected at the endpoint computer system are presumed indicative of hidden network channels of rootkit tools. |
| US07665133B2 |
System and method for monitoring processing in a document processing peripheral
This invention is directed to a system and method for monitoring the processes of a document processing peripheral, including unauthorized access thereof. More particularly, this invention is directed to a system and method for monitoring the processes of a document processing peripheral, detecting any unauthorized processes, operations, or usage levels of the document processing peripheral, and then generating a notification of such unauthorized process. |
| US07665132B2 |
Remote access VPN mediation method and mediation device
A mediating apparatus is provided on an IP network, and stores an access control list (ACL) retained in a VPN gateway unit. The mediating apparatus: receives a retrieval request from a VPN client unit; acquires a private IP address of a communication unit by reference to ACL; searches DNS to acquire therefrom an IP address of the VPN gateway unit; generates a common key that is used for authentication between the VPN client unit and the VPN gateway unit and for encrypted communication therebetween; sends the IP address of the VPN gateway unit, the private IP address of the communication unit, and the common key to the VPN client unit; and sends the IP address of the VPN client unit and the common key to the VPN gateway unit. |
| US07665130B2 |
System and method for double-capture/double-redirect to a different location
A system and method of providing network access comprising a processor, a first network interface coupled to the processor, a second network interface coupled to the processor, a storage media accessible by the processor and a set of computer instructions stored on the storage media, executable by the processor, where the computer instructions can be executable to receive a network communication over the first network interface from a user using a user device and determine if the network communication is associated with an authenticated user. If the network communication is not associated with an authenticated user, is not destined for a server in a walled garden, and a pre-authentication interface is specified, the computer instructions can be executable to direct the user to the pre-authentication interface. The computer instructions can be further executable to direct the user to an authentication interface when the network communication is not associated with an authenticated user, is not destined for a server in the walled garden, and a pre-authentication interface is not specified. |
| US07665126B2 |
Mesh networks with exclusion capability
In an exemplary method implementation, a method includes: designating a neighborhood administrator; receiving notification of a delinquent router from the designated neighborhood administrator; and excluding the delinquent router responsive to the notification. In an exemplary mesh router implementation, a mesh router is capable of establishing a wireless mesh network with other mesh routers, the mesh router is further capable of designating a neighborhood administrator mesh router; and the mesh router is adapted to exclude another mesh router that is associated with a particular certificate when the particular certificate has been identified as delinquent by the designated neighborhood administrator. mesh router. |
| US07665125B2 |
System and method for distribution of security policies for mobile devices
In a particular embodiment, a wireless security system is disclosed. The wireless security system includes a client module deployed on a wireless device, a network module, and a server module. The client module is adapted to authenticate a wireless device while the wireless device is operating independently from the network module and the server module.In another embodiment, a method of distributing security policy information from a server to a mobile computing device is disclosed. The method includes authentication of a connection between the server and a gatekeeper, sending a policy package to the gatekeeper, initiating data synchronization between the mobile computing device and the gatekeeper, authenticating the mobile computing device, and sending the policy package from the gatekeeper to the mobile computing device. |
| US07665123B1 |
Method and apparatus for detecting hidden rootkits
In one embodiment an IO request packet (IRP) attempting to access a computer disk is evaluated to determine if the request identifies an area of a computer disk to be accessed that is marked as bad in a file system. When the request identifies an area of the computer disk to be accessed that is marked as bad in a file system, the request is assumed to be indicative of a rootkit. In another embodiment an IO request packet is evaluated to determine if the request identifies an area of the computer disk to be accessed that was not identified in requests detected in the file system level of the kernel. When the stalled request identifies an area of the computer disk to be accessed not detected in requests detected in the file system level of the kernel, the request is assumed to be indicative of a rootkit. |
| US07665122B2 |
Authentication apparatus, method and program
An authentication apparatus for solving problems involving convenience and security is disclosed. The authentication apparatus according to the present invention is an authentication apparatus having a plurality of authentication mechanisms, the apparatus determining (S23) whether authentication information that has been input by a card reader for inputting authentication information of an object of authentication is that of a user who is capable of changing over the plurality of authentication mechanisms, displaying (S24) a list of the plurality of authentication mechanisms if it is determined that the user is capable of making the changeover, and registering (S26) the authentication mechanism, which has been selected in the display list, as the effective authentication mechanism. |
| US07665120B2 |
Visual summary of a web service policy document
Example embodiments provide for a rule-based wizard type tool for generating secure policy documents. Wizard pages present a user with general Web Service security options or questions at a user interface, which abstracts the user from any specific code, e.g., XML code, used for creating a Web Service policy document. Based on user input selecting general criteria, security rules are accessed and evaluated for automatically making choices on behalf of the user for creating a secure policy document. Other embodiments also provide for presenting the user with an easily understandable visual representation of selected criteria of a policy document in, e.g., a tree like structure that shows relationships between various elements of the criteria. |
| US07665116B2 |
Network architecture for real time delivery of video over lossy networks from remote locations
A method for content delivery comprising transmitting content via a first network to a content aggregation point and transmitting the content from the content aggregation point via a second network to a receiver at the request of the receiver. A system for content delivery comprising a content provider, a content aggregation point operatively coupled to the content provider via a first network wherein the content aggregation point receives content from the content provider, and a receiver operatively coupled to the content aggregation point via a second network wherein the receiver is configured to request content from the content aggregation point. Also disclosed are methods for improving the network functionality through in-band measurement of network statistics, multi-constraint based QoS routing, and back up path determination. |
| US07665107B2 |
Viral advertising for interactive services
The subject invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates propagating selected advertisements among users of interactive services. Interactive service users can be targeted for specific types of advertisements for particular products or services. When a user selects at least one advertisement for more detailed viewing, the advertisement can be distributed to or shared with one or more other users. These other users may be part of the original user's social network. Thus user-selected advertisements can be shared among users who are familiar with each other's current or future interests. In some cases, user-selected advertisements can replace system-selected advertisements. As a result, advertisers can benefit from increased exposure of and interest in their advertisements. |
| US07665102B2 |
Heat-assisted magnetic recording method and test record reproduction method
A heat-assisted magnetic recording method is provided for implementing information recording on a recording magnetic film of a magnetic recording medium rotated around a rotation center. The method includes the steps of: illuminating a recording region in the magnetic film with a laser beam for locally heating the recording region; and applying a recording magnetic field to the heated recording region. The power of the laser beam illuminating the recording region is selected in accordance with the distance between the rotation center and the recording region. |
| US07665100B2 |
Disk drive
There is provided a disk drive including first and second sliding members (69, 71) made to slide in synchronization with each other, a sliding-member movement driving mechanism (70) to move the first sliding member (69) and have the second sliding member (71) slide in synchronization with the sliding of the first sliding member (69), and a shock absorbing mechanism (83) interposed between the first and second sliding members (69, 71). The shock absorbing mechanism (83) includes a shock absorbing member (84) to absorb a difference in movement between the first and second sliding members (69, 71), caused by an external force to the optical disk brought into or to outside a housing (3) through a disk slot (21) in a direction opposite to the direction in which the optical disk (2) is loaded or ejected when the first sliding member (69) is moved by the sliding-member movement driving mechanism (70). |
| US07665096B2 |
DDS-assisted CORBA discovery
A computer network environment that supports both Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) and Data Distribution Service (DDS) can employ the techniques described herein. The techniques relate to CORBA discovery, which enables clients to learn the location of a function or service maintained by a server in the computing environment. The CORBA discovery methodology described herein utilizes a DDS infrastructure to communicate data objects from the server to the clients such that each of the subscribing clients can create a proxy for communication with the server. Once the CORBA discovery procedure is complete, subscribing clients can call the desired server function using their respective proxies. |
| US07665094B2 |
Systems and methods for mobile communication
A mobile communication system uses a runtime environment program which can communicate with a server. Applications are used with their own corresponding application data store. The application data store is persistent even when the applications are not running. The runtime environment program can obtain data from the server to update the application data store. The application can use the application data store. Messages can be cached at the mobile device and the server to allow for possible downtimes in the communication in the mobile unit and the server. |
| US07665091B2 |
Cross-process common system resource data sharing
A system and method is provided for sharing constrained resources between two or more processes running within a common operating environment. The system is implemented by establishing a communications interface to each process sharing the resource data. The method obtains the resource data to be shared from one or more resource sources. In communication with the processes, the communications interface receives resource data requests and processes the requests with the resource data. Finally, the method communicates the processed resource data request, via the communications link, to the requesting process. |
| US07665087B1 |
Memory efficient classloading to reduce the number of class copies
A system and method are disclosed for decreasing the number of duplicate library copies loaded into memory without endangering the security of applications in a runtime environment. In a preferred embodiment, applications in the runtime environment may be provided with a delegation classloader that identifies any libraries referenced by the delegation classloader's respective application. The delegation classloaders then delegate the task of providing the referenced libraries to a distinct software component. In a preferred embodiment, the distinct software component may be another delegation classloader or other loader adapted to look at a single library or a small set of libraries. These “atomic” classloaders can be freely shared by multiple applications since they do not expose any application's internals. Each atomic classloader preferably loads one copy of its associated library or libraries into memory. This single instance of shared library code is made available to multiple applications without requiring explicit cooperation between applications or endangering their security. |
| US07665085B2 |
Flexible deployment of software applications
A system and method for deploying software is disclosed. In one embodiment, information regarding software components and their interactions, deliverables and deployment descriptors, hardware topology, layer information, and database information are all captured in a model. The model in then used to install the software on a particular machine. In another embodiment, an organizational structure is used to create an access map, and access rights to the installed software are generated and enforced. |
| US07665084B2 |
Uninstall system
In order to enable an user to uninstall multiple device drivers that are required by a single multifunction device all at once, an uninstall system creates during installation an installer registry for the multifunction device that is different from a system registry. Data specifying the multiple related device drivers, such as a scanner driver, printer driver, and fax driver, is stored in association with each other in this installer registry, enabling the multiple device drivers to be easily identified and uninstalled together. Further, by displaying a list dialog box, the user can indicate specific device(s) for which the multiple device drivers are to be uninstalled. |
| US07665079B1 |
Program execution method using an optimizing just-in-time compiler
It is one object of the present invention to provide a program execution method for performing greater optimization. A program execution apparatus according to the present invention performs a transfer from an interpreter process to a compiled code process in the course of the execution of a method. At this time, if no problem occurs when a transfer point is moved to the top of a loop, the transfer point for code is so moved. And when a transfer point is located inside a loop, a point that post-dominates the top of the loop and the transfer point is copied to a position immediately preceding the loop. Then, information for generating recalculation code is provided for the transfer point, and a recalculation is performed. |
| US07665074B2 |
Mechanism for converting text output into objects
The techniques and mechanisms described herein are directed at converting text into objects based on a template that describes the format of the text, where the format of the text is not in a standardized format. The objects then being available for further processing. The conversion mechanism converts the text into a dead object. The template comprises an object header indicator and a corresponding object header pattern. A new object is created based on the object header pattern identified within the text. In addition, the template comprises one or more field indicators each having a corresponding field pattern. The field pattern may be in a format of a regular expression. A field type and associated value are created from a string associated with the field pattern. |
| US07665073B2 |
Compile time meta-object protocol systems and methods
The subject invention pertains to a compilation system and meta-object protocol to facilitate interaction with objects of various types including but not limited to XML documents. More specifically, a delineator or dot operator can be extended to hide idiosyncratic details of interacting with objects. Code details can be generated by a compiler behind the scenes. This enables a programmer to achieve the same results while writing much simpler and intuitive code. |
| US07665072B2 |
Generating test cases for software with complex preconditions
Techniques and tools for generating test cases for methods or programs with input preconditions are described. For example, after finding feasible control flow paths for a tested method along with each path's associated input conditions, a new program is created which tests these conditions along with the precondition. By analyzing this new program's control flow graph, a class of test cases is found while avoiding inefficiencies created by doing complete searches of paths through the combined control flow graph of the precondition and the method. Additional efficiencies are introduced by partitioning a control flow graph for the precondition into branched and straight sections. |
| US07665071B1 |
Management object model for performing management of a computer system
A management system is provided for the generation of a management object model for performing management of a computer system. The object model includes a structured hierarchy of objects representing components of a computer system. The management system can include component modules operable to define mappings from instrumentation of the components to objects representing those components and configuration modules operable to configure associations between the component modules for the generation of the management object model. |
| US07665068B2 |
Methods and systems for testing software applications
Embodiments of the invention provide systems, methods, software products and/or data structures for testing software programs. One exemplary set of embodiments provides a method for testing a software program. The method can be used in an object-oriented environment, and the software application can comprise a plurality of components. |
| US07665067B2 |
Method and system for automatically creating tests
A system and method for generalized scenarios, for automatically generating tests. The tests are generated from some underlying structure, such as one or more scenarios. The scenarios preferably include a plurality of constraints for generating a test program for generating input values to the test generation process. The scenarios provide a more generalized method for generating tests. |
| US07665066B2 |
Method for determining and recording system information and function in distributed parallel component based software systems
A universal test or monitoring of distributed, parallel component based software systems can be achieved, which minimally affects the system for monitoring, automatically provides the correct system components with inspection instruments, a semantic connection of communication reports between each transmitter and receiver and a logical event sequence without synchronized clock time for the individual components of the distributed system in the form of an evaluation model and can find application on any form of evaluation tool. |
| US07665065B2 |
Software termination method
A software system terminates software modules in the reverse order of startup defined in a bundle start order list. Additionally, the software modules can be terminated in the order obtained by representing a static or dynamic reference relationship among the software modules as a tree structure and by searching the tree structure on a depth-first basis. |
| US07665062B1 |
System and methodology for design-time dynamic class type construction
A system and methodology for design-time dynamic class type construction is described. In one embodiment, for example, in a form-based development system, a method is described for dynamically constructing a form under an object framework during development of an application by a user, the method comprises steps of: providing an ancestor class under an object framework, the ancestor class for representing a form in the development system; in response to user input, creating a descendant class inheriting from the ancestor class for representing a particular form to be included in the application; generating instructions for creating methods of the descendant class under the object framework; creating a type delegator for the descendant class, thereby enabling the descendant class to track changes made to the particular form during development of the application; creating an instance of the descendant class; and constructing the particular form in the development system based on the instance of the descendant class. |
| US07665058B2 |
Customizable development and demonstration platform for structured ASICs
The present invention is directed to a customizable development and demonstration platform for structured ASICs. In an exemplary aspect of the present invention, the present platform may include a structured ASIC which is built on a slice and which may be flexible enough for a number of possible application developments. This flexibility may be achieved by incorporating a programmable processor in the structured ASIC and by defining interfaces and the use of an external FPGA in the present platform. The structured ASIC may include a complete ARM processor subsystem and a plurality of high speed SERDES ports. The processor subsystem may include a bus interface to the external FPGA, allowing custom gate development and test in the FPGA, prior to incorporating it into the customer product. Through the SERDES ports, the test block may be used to show the electrical characteristics of the SERDES IP. In addition, some SERDES ports may be driven from a link layer realized in the FPGA. This may allow the same chip and board to implement SATA (serial advanced technology attachment), GigE, XAUI, XGXS, Fiber Channel, and the like by changing the programming of the FPGA on the board. |
| US07665057B2 |
Method for calculating optimal length of trace between adjoining bends and computer accessible storage media
A method for calculating optimal length of trace between adjoining bends is disclosed. First, a rising time Tr of signal of a trace is defined, and a unit transmitting delay TD of the trace and a transmitting delay Td3 of bend in the trace are calculated. A transmitting delay Td2 of a trace segment between the adjoining bends in the trace is calculated with Tr and Td3. Finally, an equation L2=Td2/TD is calculated for obtaining the optimal length L2 of the trace between a first bend and a second bend. |
| US07665055B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus design method in which dummy line is placed in close proximity to signal line
A design method places a dummy line in floating state in a line layer of a semiconductor apparatus by using a computer. The method includes a first step of reading layout data and placing a dummy line with a longitudinal side lying in parallel with a signal line in an area where a pattern density of the signal line in a prescribed area is equal to or lower than a density lower limit, and a second step of dividing a dummy line placed in an area where a distance from the signal line is equal to or shorter than a dummy dividing distance. |
| US07665049B2 |
Method for identifying semiconductor integrated circuit device, method for manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuit device, semiconductor integrated circuit device and semiconductor chip
In the manufacturing process of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, a plurality of identification elements having the same arrangement are formed and the relation of magnitude in a physical amount corresponding to variations in the process of the plurality of identification elements is employed as identification information unique to the semiconductor integrated circuit device. |
| US07665047B2 |
Method for performing post-synthesis circuit optimization
Two methods for post-synthesis circuit optimization are disclosed. In both methods, the underlying variability in process parameters is captured through a robust linear program. The robust linear program is then reformulated as a second order conic program that possesses special structural properties to allow for a computationally efficient solution by using interior point optimization methods. The first method treats gate delays as uncertain quantities and obtains the optimal sizes for gates in a circuit under a probabilistically specified circuit timing target. The second method optimizes total circuit power by using a combination of dual threshold voltage assignment and gate sizing. Both circuit power and timing are treated probabilistically. |
| US07665043B2 |
Menu navigation and operation feature for a handheld computer
A handheld computer is provided having a housing, a display and a processor. The processor is configured to detect an input corresponding to a menu request, to active a first menu on the display in response to the menu request, process navigation input that causes a menu bar of the active menu to become selectable, and to process selection input for selecting the menu bar when it is selectable. The processor is configured to cancel activation of the menu in response to the menu bar being selected. |
| US07665041B2 |
Architecture for controlling a computer using hand gestures
Architecture for implementing a perceptual user interface. The architecture comprises alternative modalities for controlling computer application programs and manipulating on-screen objects through hand gestures or a combination of hand gestures and verbal commands. The perceptual user interface system includes a tracking component that detects object characteristics of at least one of a plurality of objects within a scene, and tracks the respective object. Detection of object characteristics is based at least in part upon image comparison of a plurality of images relative to a course mapping of the images. A seeding component iteratively seeds the tracking component with object hypotheses based upon the presence of the object characteristics and the image comparison. A filtering component selectively removes the tracked object from the object hypotheses and/or at least one object hypothesis from the set of object hypotheses based upon predetermined removal criteria. |
| US07665040B2 |
Information processing apparatus utilizing real image data
An information processing apparatus has a first section for specifying a selection range with respect to a real image displayed on a display screen, a second section for acquiring image data corresponding to the real image in the specified selection range, a third section for obtaining a spot specified by user based on an input item when the user inputs a specific item such as name and location by which the spot such as a facility can be determined, and a fourth section means for obtaining a display position of a real image of the obtained spot. Based on the obtained position, an area containing the real image of the spot specified by the user is specified as the selection range. |
| US07665038B1 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a display of a data process system
Method and apparatus for controlling a display of a data processing system. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of controlling a display of a data processing system includes: displaying a first list as a scrollable view of items in a first mode; receiving an input to switch from the first mode to a second mode; and displaying, in the second mode, a representation of a command which when activated causes a display of a second list of the items. The first list is displayed within a window and the representation is displayed within the window. According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of controlling a display of a data processing system includes: displaying, in a first mode, a slider control having a slider which can be positioned in one of a plurality of positions to select a corresponding one of a plurality of parameters; receiving an input to switch from the first mode to a second mode; and displaying, in the second mode, a representation of a command which when activated causes a display of a list of items corresponding to at least a subset of the plurality of parameters. |
| US07665037B2 |
Method of learning character segments from received text, and associated handheld electronic device
An improved method of learning character segments from received text enables facilitated text input on an improved handheld electronic device. In receiving text on the handheld electronic device, the characters of the text are converted into the inputs with which the characters correspond. Then, segments and other objects are analyzed to generate a proposed character interpretation of the series of inputs. Responsive to detecting that at least a portion of the character interpretation differs from a corresponding portion of the received text, a character learning string comprising the differing characters of the received text are stored as a candidate. |
| US07665036B1 |
System and method for presenting multiple sets of z-space information in a user interface display
A system and method are disclosed for displaying multiple sets of items on a single page comprising rendering a selection graphic for each set of the multiple sets of items, wherein the rendered selection graphics are arranged adjacent to one another, in response to choosing one of the selection graphics, moving one or more of the adjacent selection graphics away from the chosen one to create a space between the chosen one and the moved one or more of the adjacent selection graphics, and inserting the set of items associated with the chosen one of the selection graphics in the space. |
| US07665035B2 |
Content selection apparatus, system, and method
A media presentation apparatus includes a user preference storage module to store a user preference associated with a user activity and a content selection, coupled to a content selection module to select a content offering based on the user preference. A system includes a media presentation apparatus coupled to a preference manipulation apparatus. A method of processing user preferences includes storing a user preference associated with a user activity and a content selection, and selecting a content offering based on the user preference. The content offering can be selected from a plurality of offerings, based on a combination of user preferences. |
| US07665034B2 |
Accelerated scrolling
A system and method for accelerating scrolling of a display is disclosed. When a wheel of a wheeled pointing device is actuated by a user at a first rotational rate, the display in a window scrolls up or down one line at a time. When the wheel is rotated at a second rotational rate, the display in the window scrolls up or down multiple lines at a time. In additional embodiments, the scrolling technique shifts from one line at a time/multiple lines at a time to a page or pages at a time when the wheel is rotated for at a rotational rate for a minimum period of time. |
| US07665031B2 |
Method and system of taskbar button interfaces
The present invention provides a system or method for displaying rich presentation taskbar buttons for a corresponding application. In one example, the rich presentation taskbar button may receive content from an application through a programming interface. The present invention further relates to a system and method for displaying a rich presentation taskbar button and for displaying and/or dismissing a thumbnail of an application window associated with the rich presentation taskbar button. The present invention may further include a system and method of pinning the thumbnail on a display or dismissing a thumbnail. The present invention also relates to a system and method for displaying multiple taskbar buttons in a taskbar including controlling the size of individual taskbar buttons, consolidating taskbar buttons and placing taskbar buttons into an overflow based on the type of taskbar button in the taskbar. |
| US07665030B2 |
Tabstrip user interface element for formulating boolean statements
A user interface element for manipulating Boolean expressions includes at least one tab panel element operable to define a term of a Boolean expression with each term including one or more condition statements, and an add tab element operable to add an additional tab panel element. The defined terms of each of the tab panel elements are combined to form the Boolean expression. |
| US07665028B2 |
Rich drag drop user interface
In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor. |
| US07665024B1 |
Methods and apparatus for controlling a user interface based on the emotional state of a user
Methods and apparatus for modifying a user interface as a function of the detected emotional state of a system user are described. In one embodiment, stress analysis is performed on received speech to generate an emotional state indicator value, e.g., a stress level indicator value. The stress level indicator value is compared to one or more thresholds. If a first threshold is exceeded the user interface is modified, e.g., the presentation rate of speech is slowed. If a second threshold is not exceeded, another modification to the user interface is made, e.g., the speech presentation rate is accelerated. If the stress level indicator value is between first and second thresholds, user interface operation continues unchanged. The user interface modification techniques of the present invention may be used in combination with known knowledge or expertise based user interface adaptation features. |
| US07665022B1 |
Media management interfacing with refined data structures
Method and apparatus, including a computer program product, implementing techniques for displaying visible representations of project objects associated with a media project, the project objects having characteristics; and in response to a user action that identifies at least one of the characteristics, altering the visible representation of at least one of the project objects based on the identified characteristic. |
| US07665014B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating forms using form types
A method, computer readable medium and system are provided which generate model driven forms that represent data models. Using the method, to generate a form that represents a data model, such as a business model, a selection is made to identify which of a plurality of different logical form types is to be used to generate the form to represent the data model. Then, a logical form is generated at run-time using the data model and the selected logical form type. |
| US07665008B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing a low density parity check code in a wireless system
A low density parity check (LDPC) code is used within a wireless apparatus to perform forward error correction (FEC) coding. In at least embodiment of the invention, a (2000, 1600) bit-length LDPC code is used. |
| US07664999B2 |
Real time testing using on die termination (ODT) circuit
A system and method to operate an electronic device, such as a memory chip, in a test mode using the device's built-in ODT (on die termination) circuit is disclosed. One or more test mode related signals, which include on-die signals and other relevant information, may be transferred from the integrated circuit of the electronic device to an external processor using the device's ODT circuit instead of the output data signal driver circuit. Therefore, no capacitive loading of output drivers occurs during test mode operations. Thus the speed of the output data path (i.e., the circuit path propagating non-test mode related signals from the electronic device to other external units in the system) is not affected by test mode operations, allowing a system designer to increase the speed of the data output path as much as desired. Further, deterioration in the quality of signals output from the output drivers is also avoided. Also, the use of a minimal number of logic gates along with the existing ODT circuits to perform transmission of test mode related signals substantially maximizes chip real estate utilization without waste. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims. |
| US07664996B2 |
Diagnostic operations associated with wireless modem
A visible diagnostic component for an electronic device having a form factor is described. The electronic component comprises a hardware interface component and a processor. The hardware interface component is configured to physically interface with a computer hardware interface associated with a computing device having an operating system. The processor is configured to perform a first operation that tests the communications with a device driver that is related to the electronic device. The first operation generates a first signal that indicates the result of the first operation. The second operation performed by the processor tests the communications between the wireless device and the operating system of the computing device. The second operation is configured to generate a second signal that indicates the result of the second operation. |
| US07664988B2 |
Gaming apparatus having memory fault detection
An information processing device and associated methodology are provided for inspecting a program fault. A first memory stores a boot program executed when the information processing device is initiated for operation. A second memory device is provided for storing an application program. A control device executes a fault inspection program to inspect whether or not a fault has occurred in the second memory device. The fault inspection program is stored in the first memory device and is initiated upon initialization of the information processing device. |
| US07664986B2 |
System and method for determining fault isolation in an enterprise computing system
A system and method for determining fault isolation in an enterprise computing system is disclosed. A method includes automatically troubleshooting errors in an enterprise computing system that receives at an analyzer engine a status notification from a first component. In response to receiving the status notification, the method automatically selects a first analyzer policy file from a set of analyzer policy files based on the status notification received at the analyzer engine, wherein the analyzer policy file contains troubleshooting logic for determining root causes for errors. The method automatically attempts to communicate with a second component based on the troubleshooting logic within the first analyzer policy file. The method automatically determines a root cause for the status notification based on the troubleshooting logic in the selected analyzer policy file and based on information obtained in connection with the attempt to communicate with the second component. |
| US07664981B2 |
Method of restoring source data of hard disk drive and method of reading system information thereof
A method of restoring source data if the source data written in a system region of a hard disk drive and mirror data, which is a copy of the source data, are both damaged, in which the source data is read on a sector basis and error-free sectors and error-generated sectors are determined. The mirror data is read on a sector basis in such a way that sectors corresponding to the error-generated sectors are read. Source data is restored by merging source data read from the error-free sectors and mirror data read from the sectors corresponding to the error-generated sectors. |
| US07664979B2 |
Method for adjusting monitor clock phase that selects scaler threshold voltage corresponding to period having reference number of pulses
An exemplary method for adjusting clock phase of a monitor includes: setting a reference threshold voltage, when an input voltage of image signals is greater than the reference threshold voltage, a scaler begins to receive clock phases generated by a Phase Locked Loop; dividing the clock phase into a plurality of equal periods, recording a corresponding input voltage at each point dividing two adjacent period, and setting the corresponding input voltage as a threshold voltage of the next period; recording a quantity of the clock pulses in each period; evaluating whether a period of the clock phase is a regular period according to whether the quantity of clock pulse in the period is equal to a reference quantity or not, while the input voltage is generating retardation; and selecting the input voltage of the image signals corresponding to a regular period as a threshold voltage of the scaler. |
| US07664975B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling power of monitor
An apparatus and method for controlling the power of a monitor where the monitor can be automatically powered on and off according to the state of power of a PC. The apparatus includes a computer outputting a predetermined signal indicating whether the computer is powered on or off; and a monitor receiving the predetermined signal and powering on and off according to the predetermined signal. |
| US07664974B2 |
Storage control device and control method therefor
A storage control device comprises: a first I/O control unit for controlling read/write of data from/to one or more HDDs (Hard Disk Drives); a second I/O control unit whose current consumption is approximately equal to that of the first I/O control unit; two or more first power supply devices supplying electric power to the first I/O control unit; two or more second power supply devices supplying electric power to the second I/O control unit; and at least three circuit breakers receiving electric power supplied from outside and supplying the electric power to the first and second power supply devices while interrupting the supply of the electric power when current exceeding a preset level passes. Each of the first/second power supply devices includes a current balancing circuit for equalizing output currents of the first/second power supply devices. |
| US07664972B2 |
System and method for controlling power delivered to a powered device based on cable characteristics
A system and method for discovering a cable type and resistance for Power over Ethernet (PoE) applications. Cabling power loss in PoE applications is related to the resistance of the cable itself. A PHY can be designed to measure electrical characteristics (e.g., insertion loss, cross talk, length, etc.) of the Ethernet cable to enable determination of the cable resistance. The determined resistance can be used in powering decisions and in adjusting power budgets allocated to power source equipment ports. |
| US07664970B2 |
Method and apparatus for a zero voltage processor sleep state
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for a zero voltage processor sleep state. A processor may include a dedicated cache memory. A voltage regulator may be coupled to the processor to provide an operating voltage to the processor. During a transition to a zero voltage power management state for the processor, the operational voltage applied to the processor by the voltage regulator may be reduced to approximately zero and the state variables associated with the processor may be saved to the dedicated cache memory. |
| US07664965B2 |
Method and system for bootstrapping a trusted server having redundant trusted platform modules
Multiple trusted platform modules within a data processing system are used in a redundant manner that provides a reliable mechanism for securely storing secret data at rest that is used to bootstrap a system trusted platform module. A hypervisor requests each trusted platform module to encrypt a copy of the secret data, thereby generating multiple versions of encrypted secret data values, which are then stored within a non-volatile memory within the trusted platform. At some later point in time, the encrypted secret data values are retrieved, decrypted by the trusted platform module that performed the previous encryption, and then compared to each other. If any of the decrypted values do not match a quorum of values from the comparison operation, then a corresponding trusted platform module for a non-matching decrypted value is designated as defective because it has not been able to correctly decrypt a value that it previously encrypted. |
| US07664963B2 |
Data collectors in connection-based intrusion detection
A system for detecting network intrusions and other conditions in a network is described. The system includes a plurality of collector devices that are disposed to collect data and statistical information on packets that are sent between nodes on a network. An aggregator device is disposed to receive data and statistical information from the plurality of collector devices. The aggregator device produces a connection table that maps each node on the network to a record that stores information about traffic to or from the node. The aggregator runs processes that determine network events from aggregating of anomalies into network events. |
| US07664956B2 |
Method and system for real-time control of document printing
A method for secure printing is presented. A document management system (DMS) is provided within a server computer for storing, displaying and printing a plurality of documents. At least a portion of the documents require authentication information for displaying and printing. A web-based capture protection system is provided that prevents proprietary content displayed on a display device from being screen-captured. The web-based capture protection system is combined with the DMS to augment the DMS with capture protection of displayed documents, including intercepting retrieval requests from a client computer to display documents from the DMS. |
| US07664954B2 |
Providing apparatus, providing method, communication device, communication method, and program
A providing apparatus that provides information required for a secure communication to first and second devices includes a receiving unit for receiving candidates for parameters used for the secure communication from the first and second devices; a generating unit for generating the information required for the secure communication based on the candidates for the parameters received from the first and second devices; and a transmitting unit for transmitting the information required for the secure communication, generated by the generating unit, to the first and second devices. |
| US07664951B2 |
Transmitting apparatus for providing information by effective use of bands
A transmitting apparatus adapted to effectively use the band for transferring programs of television broadcasting. A program of a first channel transmitted from the transmitting side can be viewed in real time on the receiving side. A program of a second channel is transmitted to the receiving side in advance in a time zone of lower audience rate than other time zones and stored in a storage device of the receiving side. Each program to be stored is encrypted. When a provision time of a program comes, the data such as a key are transmitted from the transmitting side to the receiving side along with the program data of the first channel. The receiving side extracts the data such as a key and, by use of the extracted data, provides the program stored in the storage device to viewers. |
| US07664949B2 |
Certifying and grouping distributed objects
Disclosed herein is a technique for certifying distributable objects. The technique involves creating a certification for each distributable object to indicate properties of the object. Using certifications such as this, it is possible to accept objects having certain properties only from specified entities. |
| US07664946B2 |
System and method of guaranteed anonymity of cable television viewership behavior
A system and method for permitting viewership behavior on a cable television system, or satellite system, to be analyzed while guaranteeing the anonymity of the individual viewers. Using this system and method, the content of the message initiated by a consumer device, that is configured to receive television programming content, cannot be known by the cable operator even though the cable operator can identify the source of the message; alternatively, the entity that analyzes viewership behavior cannot know the source of the message but can know the content of the message. |
| US07664944B2 |
Booting from a compressed image
Accessing files within a compressed image to boot from the compressed image. In one embodiment, the compressed image includes a boot environment and a software image combined to reduce file redundancy. The invention boots into the boot environment within the compressed image to install the software image on a computer. |
| US07664942B1 |
Recovering a subordinate strand from a branch misprediction using state information from a primary strand
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that executes program code in a processor. The system starts by executing the program code in a normal mode using a primary strand while concurrently executing the program code ahead of the primary strand using a subordinate strand in a scout mode. Upon resolving a branch using the subordinate strand, the system records a resolution for the branch in a speculative branch resolution table. Upon subsequently encountering the branch using the primary strand, the system uses the recorded resolution from the speculative branch resolution table to predict a resolution for the branch for the primary strand. Upon determining that the resolution of the branch was mispredicted for the primary strand, the system determines that the subordinate strand mispredicted the branch. The system then recovers the subordinate strand to the branch and restarts the subordinate strand executing the program code. |
| US07664934B2 |
Data processor decoding instruction formats using operand data
A data processor according to the present invention executes instructions described in first and second instruction formats. The first instruction format defines a register-addressing field of a predetermined size, while the second instruction format defines a register-addressing field of a size larger than that of the register-addressing field defined by the first instruction format. The data processor includes: instruction-type identifier, responsive to an instruction, for identifying the received instruction as being described in the first or second instruction format by the instruction itself; a first register file including a plurality of registers; and a second register file also including a plurality of registers, the number of the registers included in the second register file being larger than that of the registers included in the first register file. If the instruction-type identifier has identified the received instruction as being described in the first instruction format, the data processor executes the instruction using data held in the first register file. On the other hand, if the instruction-type identifier has identified the received instruction as being described in the second instruction format, the data processor executes the instruction using data held in the second register file. |
| US07664931B2 |
Scalable and configurable multimedia system for a vehicle
A scalable and fully configurable computing architecture for a mobile multimedia architecture used in a vehicle includes a head unit having a processor, a field programmable gate array and a memory. The processor and the memory are configured to communicate over a first bus that is a dedicated memory bus, and the processor and the field programmable gate array are configured to communicate over a separate second bus. The field programmable gate array is configured to be loaded from memory with part of a multimedia vehicle-related application-specific functionality that is executable by the field programmable gate array, and the processor is cooperatively operable with the field programmable gate array to execute another portion of the multimedia vehicle-related application-specific functionality. The multimedia vehicle-related application-specific functionality in the field programmable gate array may be changed with software and downloaded to the field programmable gate array in the field. In addition, due to the first and second busses being recognized industry standard busses, any of the processor, the field programmable gate array and the memory are fully scaleable and configurable. |
| US07664928B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing user-defined interfaces for a configurable processor
A technique that improves both processor performance and associated data bandwidth through user-defined interfaces that can be added to a configurable and extensible microprocessor core. These interfaces can be used to communicate status or control information and to achieve synchronization between the processor and any external device including other processors. These interfaces can also be used to achieve data transfer at the rate of one data element per interface in every clock cycle. This technique makes it possible to design multiprocessor SOC systems with high-speed data transfer between processors without using the memory subsystem. Such a system and design methodology offers a complete shift from the standard bus-based architecture and allows designers to treat processors more like true computational units, so that designers can more effectively utilize programmable solutions rather than design dedicated hardware. This can have dramatic effects not only in the performance and bandwidth achieved by designs, but also in the time to market and reuse of such designs. |
| US07664918B2 |
Handling fetch requests that return out-of-order at an instruction fetch unit
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that handles instruction fetch requests that return out-of-order at an IFU of a processor. During operation, the system sends a request to obtain a cache line to an instruction cache, wherein the request can be serviced and the cache line can be sent to a fetch buffer before a preceding cache line for a preceding request has returned from the instruction cache. In response to the request, the system receives the cache line from the instruction cache. Next, the system determines whether the cache line was returned out-of-order with respect to the preceding cache line. If so, the system performs an action to handle the out-of-order return. |
| US07664917B2 |
Device and method for caching control, and computer product
A caching control device that controls caching of data stored in a storage device, includes a storing unit that stores information concerning memory allocated to the storage device as its cache memory, where the storing unit is installed in a first computer connected to a second computer via a network, and the second computer manages reading and writing of data to the storage device; and a controller that controls the caching of the data that uses a memory installed in the first computer as cache memory, based on the information stored in the storing unit. |
| US07664914B2 |
Hierarchical control apparatus of hierarchical storage system and method for maintaining and managing duplexed media
A control unit of a hierarchical control apparatus holds information in which one of duplexed library apparatuses is set as a master and the other is set as a slave for each medium in each of the duplexed library apparatuses, and statistical information about each of the library apparatuses. The control unit includes an automatic redundant copy unit detecting that a statistical information of a medium reaches a predetermined amount, replacing the medium with a free medium, and copying data to the free medium, a master/slave setting unit setting the medium to which the data is copied and the other medium as a master or a slave such that a load is even between the duplexed library apparatuses according to the statistical information, and a unit copying and reading the requested data to the disk array apparatus by prioritizing one of the duplexed library apparatuses including the medium set as a master when there is no requested data in the disk array apparatus. |
| US07664910B2 |
Data management method and apparatus, hierarchical storage apparatus and computer-readable storage medium
A data management method is adapted to a hierarchical virtual storage system which virtually uses a library apparatus having a plurality of recording media as a portion of a hard disk apparatus. The data management method manages loading of the recording media to the library apparatus and unloading of the recording media from the library apparatus in a database in units of a set that is formed by a plurality of recording media, and forms a logical volume, which is a recording unit of a data file with respect to the library apparatus, by one or a plurality of recording media, and manages the logical volume in the database in correspondence with the set. |
| US07664909B2 |
Method and apparatus for a shared I/O serial ATA controller
An apparatus and method is provided for allowing one or more processing complexes to share a disk controller, particularly a serial ATA (SATA) controller. Each processing complex utilizes its own load-store domain to couple to the shared SATA controller, either directly, or indirectly through a shared I/O switch. Ultimately, requests from the processing complexes are presented to the switch with operating system domain header (OSD header) information so that the shared SATA controller can determine which request came from which processing complex, and allocate resources accordingly. Upstream responses from the shared SATA controller include the OSD header so that the shared I/O switch can accurately route the responses to their respective processing complexes. The shared SATA controller includes OSD ID logic to determine the source/result of packets, one or more task files to support multiple processing complexes, and one or more DMA engines to improve performance for requests from multiple processing complexes. |
| US07664908B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and operating method of the same
A semiconductor memory device adapted to burst transmission is provided for improving flexibility of data write operation. The semiconductor memory device is composed of a memory array, a set of write registers, and an input buffer designed to sequentially receive a series of write data during a burst cycle, and to write the write data into the associated write registers. The device also includes a write release register containing a set of write release flags associated with the write registers, respectively, and a write release register controller asserting the associated write release flags in response to the write data being written into the associated write registers. The device also contains a write amplifier designed to concurrently write the write data contained in the write registers associated with the asserted write release flags, selectively, when the burst cycle is aborted in response to a control signal. |
| US07664901B2 |
Data processing apparatus and method for arbitrating access to a shared resource
A data processing apparatus and method are providing for arbitrating access to a shared resource. The data processing apparatus has a plurality of logic elements sharing access to the shared resource, and arbitration circuitry which is responsive to requests by one or more of the logic elements for access to the shared resource to perform a priority determination operation to select one of the requests as a winning request. The arbitration circuitry applies an arbitration policy to associate priorities with each logic element, the arbitration policy comprising multiple priority groups, each priority group having a different priority and containing at least one of the logic elements. Within each priority group, the arbitration circuitry applies a priority ordering operation to attribute relative priorities to the logic elements within that priority group. Responsive to a predetermined event, the arbitration circuitry re-applies the priority ordering operation within at least one priority group prior to a subsequent performance of the priority determination operation. Such an approach has been found to provide a particularly flexible mechanism for performing arbitration, allowing a wide variety of different arbitration schemes to be implemented using the same arbitration hardware. |
| US07664899B2 |
Communication system, communication apparatus, control method therefor, and computer program
In a communication system, one of a plurality of communication apparatuses that acts as a host controls data transmission and the other communication apparatuses that act as devices perform data transmission under control of the host over a predetermined communication interface. The communication apparatuses have both host and device roles, and are configured to exchange the host and device roles by using a predetermined communication protocol are connected to the predetermined communication interface. A first apparatus acts as a host and a second apparatus as a device. The second apparatus transmits information concerning the second apparatus to the first apparatus. The first apparatus compares the transmitted information with information concerning the first apparatus to determine whether or not to switch the host and device roles according to a predetermined criterion. In response to an affirmative determination, the host and device roles are switched by using the predetermined communication protocol. |
| US07664895B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic instrument
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip stacked on the first semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip includes a high-speed serial I/F circuit which transfers serial data between the high-speed serial I/F circuit and an external device through a serial bus, and transfers parallel data between the high-speed serial I/F circuit and an internal circuit included in the first semiconductor chip. A physical layer circuit of the high-speed serial I/F circuit is disposed on a first side of the second semiconductor chip which is the short side, and a logic circuit is disposed on a third side opposite to the first side. |
| US07664893B2 |
Media drive control system and method
Media drive control system and method. The media drive control system comprises a player console, a user operation filter, and a plurality of playback management devices. The player console provides an instant user operation (UOP) according to a received user command. The user operation filter comprises a queue and a management device. The queue receives and stores a plurality of UOPs, and outputs stored UOPs as control instructions on a first-in-first-out basis. The management device determines whether the queue is full. If the queue is full, the management device discards at least one of the stored UOPs prior to storing the instant UOP in the queue. Each playback management device receives control instructions for controlling corresponding playback devices. |
| US07664890B2 |
System control device
A system control device comprises a system LSI section having a plurality of functional blocks, a system control microcomputer section for controlling the control register of each of the functional blocks, an address decoding section for decoding an access address to a predetermined byte in a control register which the system control microcomputer section attempts to access, and issuing an access control signal to the whole of a single control register including the predetermined byte, an access control section for changing the access control signal to the whole of the single control register to an access control signal to the predetermined bytes of the plurality of control registers included in the system LSI section, with respect to access to an address to the predetermined byte, and an access mode control register for indicating whether or not the changing by the access control section is to be performed. |
| US07664885B2 |
Communication system with automatic configuration of the communication interface
The present invention provides a communication system comprising a Master unit (1) and at least one Client unit (3), means to automatically establish a wireless bi-directional connection between said Client unit and said Master unit when they are close together; and means to automatically configure a communication interface (5) between said Master unit and said Client unit after connection is established. The invention thus enables systems with different protocols to find and communicate via said configured communication interface (5). |
| US07664882B2 |
System and method for accessing multimedia content
Systems and methods described herein provide access to multimedia content of varying types from a variety of sources using a uniform resource locator (URL). |
| US07664880B2 |
Lightweight address for widely-distributed ADHOC multicast groups
Delivery of a message over a communications network from a sender based on a single delivery address. The single delivery address is generated as one unit for the message. The single delivery address has a collection of recipient addresses including one or more recipient addresses each identifying at least one recipient of the message. Each of the one or more recipient addresses includes a user level information and a domain level information. The generated single delivery address with the collection of recipient addresses is included in the message. A copy of the message is provided to the identified recipient(s) as a function of the domain level information of the one or more recipient addresses. The message is transmitted over the communications network to the identified recipient(s) recipient based on the collection of recipient addresses. |
| US07664873B1 |
Generating path-centric traffic information for analysis using an association of packet-centric information to path-centric information
Samples from an addressed data forwarding devices, such as a router, are associated with path-centric information. Information from the samples is used to update corresponding path-centric traffic information, such as flow information for example. The aggregated path-centric traffic information can then be used by traffic analysis operations. |
| US07664872B2 |
Media transfer protocol
A computer device selected as a media server is connected to a consumer electronic (CE) device over multiple media transfer channels. The multiple media transfer channels together with an improved media transfer protocol allow for efficient, real-time transfer of different types of digital media, in various combinations, for playing on the CE device. Each type of media is transferred over its own dedicated channel according to its individual data rate. The improved media transfer protocol allows the data to be transmitted in either an asynchronous mode or a synchronous stream or timestamp mode depending on whether synchronization is desired. A dedicated control channel allows for the transfer of control information from the CE device to the media server as well as for resynchronizing media position of the server upon a change in play mode of the corresponding media. |
| US07664866B2 |
Sub-tree access control in network architectures
A logical network directory database compliant with the X.500 standard for a directory data system is disclosed. The network directory database provides a source of subscriber and service data accessible by various control and management processes that require subscriber information. The network directory database may be extensible across various communications service providers and IT domain. Further, the disclosed network directory database may be applied to new and existing services, such as, IP Multimedia Subsystem, Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) and other IP services. |
| US07664856B2 |
Dynamically balancing user experiences in a multi-user computing system
A media experience policy engine includes three components: an information manager, a policy evaluator, and an enforcement module. The information manager collects information regarding the current state of a media delivery system, such as, for example, usage of a CPU, memory, hard disk, (I/O) interface, and a network. This collected data is then verified by the policy evaluator to see if resource contention is, or is close to, occurring. If so, existing or potential conflicts are dealt with by the enforcement module, which applies corrections, such as, for example, limiting the access of later chronologic users, or degrading the user experience of all users, in accordance with a desired policy in order to vitiate the resource contention and maintain a user experience consistent with the desired policy. |
| US07664850B2 |
System for measuring communication quality and method thereof
A system for measuring a communication quality and a method thereof are disclosed. The system includes: a first communication quality measuring unit for requesting a second communication quality measuring unit to transmit a test traffic, measuring a communication quality from the test traffic received from the second communication quality measuring unit as a response of the request, and controlling a generation frequency and an amount of test traffic for a next communication quality measuring stage by analyzing the measured communication quality; and the second communication quality measuring unit for generating a test traffic by controlling a generation frequency and an amount of the test traffic according to a request of the first communication quality measuring unit. |
| US07664848B2 |
System and method for monitoring networked devices employing RSS functionality
A system and method are provided for monitoring networked devices using RSS. Status information from the one or more networked devices may be collected by an RSS aggregator. The status information may be assembled into one or more RSS feeds, enabling a user such as an administrator to monitor the status of the network from any network accessible location. |
| US07664845B2 |
System and method for network vulnerability detection and reporting
A system and method provide comprehensive and highly automated testing of vulnerabilities to intrusion on a target network, including identification of operating system, identification of target network topology and target computers, identification of open target ports, assessment of vulnerabilities on target ports, active assessment of vulnerabilities based on information acquired from target computers, quantitative assessment of target network security and vulnerability, and hierarchical graphical representation of the target network, target computers, and vulnerabilities in a test report. The system and method employ minimally obtrusive techniques to avoid interference with or damage to the target network during or after testing. |
| US07664839B1 |
Automatic device classification service on storage area network
A method, system, computer system, and computer-readable medium to classify a storage device on a SAN prior to allocating the storage device for data storage. A device accessible via a storage area network is detected, and access to the device by a node on the storage area network is established. The device is accessed by a recognizer to determine the type of the device and information about contents of the device. The type of the device can be checked for compatibility with a requester sending a request for a storage device. By checking the compatibility between storage devices and nodes before allocation, spending resources to allocate incompatible storage is avoided and costs of storage management are reduced. Classification information about devices and nodes can be stored in a persistent data store that can be accessed by nodes connected to the SAN. |
| US07664837B2 |
Data transmitting system using multicast addresses for networked resources
There is provided a data transmitting system for transmitting data to be processed through a TCP/IP-based network. The data transmitting system includes a first device having an identification information obtaining system that transmits first data through the network using a first multicast address, and a data transmitting system that transmits the data to be processed through the network using a second multicast address. The data transmitting system further includes a second device having an identification information transmitting system that transmits second data containing the identification information of the second device through the network using a third multicast address, and a data receiving system that receives the data to be processed. |
| US07664834B2 |
Distributed operating system management
A system and method are provided for a distributed operating system manager. In one example, the method includes retrieving an internet protocol address of a boot server connected to a client computer via a network; determining whether the boot server is available via the network; transferring to the boot server a description of an operating system on the client computer; validating hardware credentials of the client computer; and determining whether to perform a remote boot process. |
| US07664833B2 |
System and method for managing multiple connections to a server
A method for managing connections between at least one client and at least one data server, said method comprises: (a) providing an intermediary connection apparatus comprising connections to a plurality of clients over a WAN or a LAN environment, said apparatus comprising memory buffers and at least one connection to each of said at least one data server(s) being continuously open; (b) establishing a client network connection between said apparatus and one of said clients via a network; (c) receiving a client request to receive a response from a data server over said client network connection; (d) forwarding to the data server either a request or a partial request; (e) limiting the size of the response or partial response that the server is allowed to provide at a given time to said apparatus in response to said client request; and (f) buffering data encoding requests and responses in said apparatus according to data traffic load over the connection to said server and to said client, respectively. |
| US07664832B1 |
RF data channel API for mobile station client applications
A method of optimizing data transmissions to a wireless device is provided. In particular, a client application may discover the data rate of the wireless connection, and provide that information to a media server. The media server may then provide content to the application over the wireless connection, where the level of media detail provided is best suited for transmission at the available data rate. |
| US07664827B2 |
Server, information providing method and recording medium for distributing a terminal with information containing menu and link arranged on image
A server for distributing information provided by an information provider as an information element group consisting of one or more information elements connected, to a user terminal. The server includes means for creating a hierarchical structure between the information elements via an image, means for receiving an access to an image related to the first information element, means for searching a second information element constituting a hierarchical structure with the first information element via the image, and means for arranging the second information element on the image and distributing it to the user terminal. |
| US07664824B2 |
System for transmission/reception of e-mail with attached files
A mail gateway generates an identifier for each attached file included in the e-mail addressed to a user and held in a mail server, and notifies a mail terminal belonging to the user of a list of generated IDs. When the user selects attached files that the user wants to attach to the e-mail from the list of IDs that is notified from the mail gateway, the mail gateway constructs e-mail including the selected attached files and the mail server transmits the constructed e-mail to addresses of the receivers of the e-mail. |
| US07664819B2 |
Incremental anti-spam lookup and update service
The present invention provides a unique system and method that facilitates incrementally updating spam filters in near real time or real time. Incremental updates can be generated in part by difference learning. Difference learning involves training a new spam filter based on new data and then looking for the differences between the new spam filter and the existing spam filter. Differences can be determined at least in part by comparing the absolute values of parameter changes (weight changes of a feature between the two filters). Other factors such as frequency of parameters can be employed as well. In addition, available updates with respect to particular features or messages can be looked up using one or more lookup tables or databases. When incremental and/or feature-specific updates are available, they can be downloaded such as by a client for example. Incremental updates can be automatically provided or can be provided by request according to client or server preferences. |
| US07664813B2 |
Dynamic data presentation
Dynamic data presentation is described. In an embodiment, drawing instructions are captured as a template at a content provider, and the drawing instructions template is communicated to the computing-based client device that processes the drawing instructions to render a presentation layout in which the dynamic data can be displayed. In another embodiment, content is received at a computing-based client device where the content includes dynamic data and templates that each defines the presentation for a different dynamic data type. The client device determines the type of the dynamic data and selects a template to bind and present the dynamic data for display where the template is selected based on the determined type of the dynamic data. The dynamic data is then rendered for display based on the selected template at the computing-based client device. Subsequent updates to the dynamic data do not require re-downloading the presentation layout of the template. |
| US07664808B2 |
Efficient real-time computation of FIR filter coefficients
Systems and methods for determining coefficients of an Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter are disclosed. The FIR filter coefficients are computed by determining a sine of an input value and an inverse of the input value. The sine of the input signal and the inverse of the input signal are multiplied together to form a sinc value of the input value. The sinc value is employed to determine the coefficient. The system and method can be repeated to compute any number of FIR filter coefficients in real-time. The sine of the input signal is computed utilizing a memory lookup table. The memory lookup table includes pairs of uniformly distributed values for the sine and cosine functions in the range of 0 to π. The inverse of the input value is computed using an inverse memory lookup table, a most significant digit and a remainder. The coefficient is then computed from a product of the sine of the input signal and the inverse of the input signal. Thus, the coefficient is computable in real-time without the use of previously computed and stored coefficients. |
| US07664804B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for exposing workbook ranges as data sources
A method, system, and apparatus are provided for exposing and utilizing workbook ranges as server data sources. The system includes a client computer capable of executing a spreadsheet application program for creating a workbook including a range that includes data objects. The workbook may be published to a server computer where the specified data objects are exposed as server data sources. The server computer allows client applications to discover and connect to the data objects contained within the workbook as server data sources. |
| US07664803B2 |
Information search apparatus and method, and computer readable memory
A search request input processing unit holds an input query word in a query word holding unit. An associative word unfolding processing unit acquires associative words in association with the query word held in the query word holding unit with reference to an associative word dictionary. An image content search processing unit using associative words makes a keyword search of image information on the basis of the obtained associative words and the query word. A sensory pattern unfolding processing unit obtains the query word and sensory patterns corresponding to associative words of the query word, and searches image information using feature amounts of the obtained sensory patterns. A search result integration processing unit integrates the search results obtained by the image content word search processing unit and sensory pattern search processing unit. |
| US07664801B2 |
Interactive remote wireless system and method to assist in real estate transactions, and the like
A system and apparatus to provide remote interactive access to multiple databases and, specifically, related to a system and apparatus to provide remote interactive access to real estate information related databases using a portable, voice interactive computing device with GPS capabilities and “smart” computer features. The system combines access to search engines configured to retrieve real estate listings, publicly available statistics about a specific geographic area, and retrieval of stored forms specific to completing an offer for real estate. The device can have several components in various combinations including a touch sensitive screen, a keyboard, a processor, GPS circuitry, a microphone, an audio device, wireless circuitry, cellular circuitry, a data jack, a wireless remote, and a camera. Software utilizing those components maximizes efficiency for a real estate agent in the field. |
| US07664800B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing resource on java environment
Provided are an apparatus for managing resources in a Java environment and a method of managing the same, in which in confirming finalized states of a plurality of reference objects and finalizable objects classified according to accessibility from a program to be currently executed, an order confirming whether the respective objects are finalized is changed. The apparatus includes an accessibility confirming unit confirming whether an object to which a memory resource is allocated is accessible through a route set, an access path confirming unit confirming access paths to the object according to the confirmed result by the accessibility confirming unit, a control unit determining an order of the access paths, and a resource releasing unit releasing the memory resource allocated to the object according to the order of the access paths. |
| US07664799B2 |
In-memory space management for database systems
A framework for in-memory space management for content management database systems is provided. A per-instance in-memory dispenser is partitioned. An incoming transaction takes a latch on a partition and obtains sufficient block usage to perform and complete the transaction. Generating redo information is decoupled from transaction level processing and, instead, is performed when block requests are loaded into the in-memory dispenser or synced therefrom to a per-instance on-disk structure. |
| US07664797B1 |
Method and apparatus for using statistical process control within a storage management system
A method and apparatus for using a statistical process control to establish alarm criteria for backup processes in a storage management system. The method and apparatus accumulates sample parameters for a plurality of backup runs to build a statistical model of the backup process. The parameters collected from subsequent backup runs are compared to the norms within the model to determine whether the current backup fulfills those norms or is outside of those norms. If the current backup parameters are outside the norms, an alarm is triggered to indicate an abnormal situation. |
| US07664795B2 |
Apparatus and method for database migration
Systems and methods consistent with concepts of the present embodiment of the inventive concept provide mechanisms for database migration from one database (source database platform) platform to another (target database platform). The target and source databases can be any relational databases including, without limitation, Oracle, SQL Server (Microsoft), DB2 UDB (IBM), Sybase, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and the like. The inventive methodology will work well for migration of any relational database that implements SQL language from one platform to another. A feature of the invention is the provision of a virtual engine enabling the running of an original application on a migrated database. |
| US07664794B2 |
Content-based storage management
A system and method for data management according to the content of the data. The present invention enables data to be stored in one of a plurality of different storage options according to at least one characteristic of the data, in which the at least one characteristic is related to the content of the data. The present invention comprises a rule-based storage management mechanism for the processes of archiving and/or retrieving data. It should be noted that at least one storage option according to the present invention is optionally deletion and/or destruction of the data, such that the data may optionally be removed from storage media or may optionally not be stored initially on the storage media. Optionally and more preferably, the data is stored for a time interval according to the at least one characteristic of the data. Most preferably, the data is moved to a different type of storage option after an event occurs, for example the time interval has elapsed. |
| US07664791B1 |
Concurrent creation of persistent point-in-time images of multiple independent file systems
A storage server maintains multiple file systems in a storage subsystem. A read-only, persistent, point-in-time image of all of the file systems is generated in one atomic operation. |
| US07664788B2 |
Method and system for synchronizing cached files
Described is a system and method that synchronizes cached files and directories with a server's files and directories via a layered architecture, by collapsing state information into an index into a fixed set of known states, and looking up the action that synchronizes that state. The actions are then taken to synchronize the content. Any of fifty possible synchronization states are thus handled. A synchronization controller requests a subsystem to evaluate a local cache and remote file system to generate state flags for each item considered for synchronization. The synchronization controller processes the state information to identify a selected table from among a plurality of tables that contain the fifty values, and uses other flags to compute an index into the table. The selected table contains values that index into an action table containing actions that specify an operation set that is requested to synchronize the particular state scenario. |
| US07664781B2 |
File operations with persistent file locking techniques
File systems which provide several different and improved locking capabilities. An application on a client workstation communicates through a client driver to a server which interfaces with a metadata database, which contains locking information about the files. Applications perform as normal. The client driver provides lock and unlock requests to the server when a write lock or a read with intent to write lock is required. If only a read lock is considered appropriate, the client driver does not provide a lock request. The server transparently performs read operations and read locking using the metadata database without specific requests from the client driver. When a read with intent to write or write lock is required, the lock ownership is placed with a given expiration time. When the time expires the lock is not automatically released but remains with the particular requesting client driver until another client driver requests it. |
| US07664780B1 |
Process data development and analysis system and method
A process data development and analysis system and method is disclosed. In an example embodiment, the system and method are implemented as a web-based tool that supports varied activities for defining and managing all aspects of production line processes used in a manufacturing environment. Software modules provide features and functionality for process and unit management as well as administration and report generation. Manufacturing processes comprise a plurality of units of operation, and a unit of operation comprises one or more working point details (i.e., tasks). Times are associated with each unit of operation so that the manufacturer may understand and analyze the amount of time required to complete the processes and manufacture the product. The process and unit data may be used to create operation standards for use by associates working on the production line. Report generation features allow a user to produce a variety of reports associated with the processes and units of operation. |
| US07664778B2 |
SQL tuning sets
A method and system for storing one or more database query language statements and performance information for each query language statement as a persistent database object. In one or more embodiments, the method and system stores the resource intensive statements and the performance information for each resource intensive statement as a second persistent database object. |
| US07664777B2 |
Mapping of an RDBMS schema onto a multidimensional data model
A Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) having any arbitrary structure is translated into a multi-dimensional data model suitable for performing OLAP operations upon. If a relational table defining the relational model includes any tables with cardinality of 1,1 or 0,1, the tables are merged into a single table. If the relational table is not normalized, then normalization is performed and a relationship between the original table and the normalized table is created. If the relational table is normalized, but not by dependence between columns, such as in the dimension table in a snowflake schema, the normalization process is performed using the foreign key in order to generate the normalized table. Once the normalized table is generated, OLAP measures are derived from the normalized relational table by an automated method. In addition, OLAP dimensions are derived from the normalized relational table and the results of the OLAP measures derivation by an automated method according to the present invention. According to an aspect, it is possible to associate a member of a dimension to another member of the same or another dimension. According to another aspect, it is possible to create a new dimension of analysis, the members of which are all the different values that a scalar expression can take on. According to yet another aspect, it is possible to access the various instances of a Reporting Object as members in an OLAP dimension. According to the yet another aspect, it is possible to apply opaque filters or a combination of them to the data that underlies analysis. |
| US07664772B2 |
Method and system for record association management
Embodiments of the present invention relate to forming a network of associations among records of a computer database. The records may relate to logistical operations, and the associations may reflect a status of the logistical operations. According to embodiments, values representing quantities of goods bought, sold and transferred pursuant to the logistical operations may be assigned to the associations to indicate initial conditions and changes in the status of the logistical operations as they go forward. |
| US07664769B1 |
Automation system with automation objects with a directory structure and method for the management of automations objects in a directory structure
An automation system includes at least one automation object, with a directory for storing object names of the at least one automation object. An object name is assigned a directory entry which includes first information data as a reference to the automation object; second information data as a description of technological functionality; and third information data as a description of interfaces of the automation object. This results in immediate and permanent access to currently created (partial) solutions, so that parallel and/or distributed working on automation objects is possible. |
| US07664758B1 |
Integrated database system and method for accessing a plurality of databases
An integrated database system comprises a plurality of database systems connected to one another through a network, each of the plurality of database systems managing its own stored data independently of the other database systems and accessing the stored data in accordance with an access request, and an integrated database unit connected to the network. The integrated database unit includes a directory database which stores a correspondence between each of the data stored in the plurality of database systems and a database system in which each of the data is stored, a directory control unit which acquires, by using the directory database, directory information corresponding to target data of the accepted access request, a database identifying unit which identifies a database system, and a database control unit which issues, on the basis of the acquired directory information, an access request to the database system having the target data of the accepted access request. The database system includes a database server unit which accesses a database in accordance with the access request issued by the integrated database unit. |
| US07664753B2 |
Standing order database search system and method for internet and intranet application
An internet and/or intranet based database search system and method for conducting searches of highly confidential records such as individual patient medical records and to automate the process of securing required approvals to make such records available to a properly authorized and authenticated requesting party. The system's central premise is that the patient has a fundamental right to the confidentiality of their personal medical records and should control that right through specific, informed consent each time that a party requests to receive them. It reinforces the widely held conception of privacy in general as well as of the sanctity of the doctor/patient relationship by granting the doctor the right, subject to the patient's express permission, to initiate a search request. At the same time, it provides an expedited and cost-efficient means for transfer of such records as demanded by many healthcare reform proposals and gives the repositories where these records are held the right to stipulate the specific terms and conditions that must be fulfilled before they will release litigation alleging breaches of patient confidentiality. And it carries out all of documents entrusted to their care, thereby substantially reducing the risk of these legitimate interests in a way that is fast, simple to use and easy to audit. The system optionally includes a billing mechanism to pay for any added cost associated with providing this additional protection; and in its preferred embodiment, is applicable to both digital as well as non-digital records. |
| US07664750B2 |
Distributed system for interactive collaboration
A distributed system for interactive collaboration can facilitate synchronous and asynchronous communications, take advantage of electronic scheduling tools, support a facilitator paradigm, and store meeting communications for later retrieval. The system can create a collaborative environment for members of a team in communication with a computer network. An interactive forum can be provided in the collaborative environment in a manner offering varying degrees of structure for collecting information from the members of the team. The information can then be used to arrive at a collaboratively derived decision. |
| US07664744B2 |
Query categorizer
In response to a user's submission of a set of query terms through an Internet search engine's user interface, the Internet search engine automatically ranks multiple verticals based on the estimated probabilities that those verticals will contain relevant content. After the verticals have been ranked, a set of the highest-ranked verticals is selected. Search results from each of the verticals in the selected set are presented to the user. Thus, the user may obtain a sample from verticals that are the most likely to contain relevant content. The search engine may rank a set of verticals based on historical search result selection data for similar sets of query terms. The historical search result selection data for a set of query terms indicates, for each vertical, the number of times that any user selected a search result from that vertical after conducting a search based on that set of query terms. |
| US07664735B2 |
Method and system for ranking documents of a search result to improve diversity and information richness
A method and system for ranking documents of search results based on information richness and diversity of topics. A ranking system determines the information richness of each document within a search result. The ranking system groups documents of a search result based on their relatedness, meaning that they are directed to similar topics. The ranking system ranks the documents to ensure that the highest ranking documents may include at least one document covering each topic, that is, one document from each of the groups. The ranking system selects the document from each group that has the highest information richness of the documents within the group. When the documents are presented to a user in rank order, the user will likely find on the first page of the search result documents that cover a variety of topics, rather than just a single popular topic. |
| US07664731B2 |
Method and system for storing and retrieving data using hash-accessed multiple data stores
A method and system for storing and retrieving data using hash-accessed multiple data stores, provides data protection while requiring low computational overhead and further provides storage and retrieval access based on only a single piece of access information, which is generally public. The algorithms provide high security against data-mining and other examination of the data stores. The access information is hashed and is split into offset fields used as indices into a plurality of data stores, generating a quasi-random relationship between the access information and the location of portions of a stored data element. Further protection may be provided by striping the data across the data stores in conformity with a striping order selected by a field of the hashed access information. |
| US07664727B2 |
Method of constructing preferred views of hierarchical data
Disclosed is a method of constructing at least one data structure from at least one data source. A representation is constructed of the data source and at least one previous view of the data source. From the representations, at least one compulsory entity (eg. “branch”) is then identified. This may generally be performed by a user selection. The method then constructs the data structure comprising the compulsory entity and one or more context entities, where the context entities are obtained from the representation and context data obtained from the previous view. Typically the data source is hierarchical and the data structure is hierarchical. |
| US07664720B1 |
Method and product of manufacture for the recommendation of optimizers in a graphical user interface for mathematical solvers
In one embodiment, a method of providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for a plurality of optimization solvers is provided. The method includes providing the GUI for the plurality of optimization solvers, the GUI including a control to select a solver from the plurality of solvers; receiving a selection of a first solver from the plurality of optimization solvers; and displaying in the GUI contents tailored to the first solver, the GUI contents including an objective function, wherein the objective function is in an expression in an array-based language. |
| US07664719B2 |
Interaction method with an expert system that utilizes stutter peak rule
Methods of analyzing data are provided. An expert system receives input from at least a first source. Data is imported and analyzed by an expert system, wherein the expert system makes at least one first decision, which characterizes the data based on a rule base. The at least one first decision is displayable and modifiable by a first input from a first source. In response to the first input from the first source, the rule base may be re-applied to make at least one second decision, wherein the at least one second decision is different from the at least one first decision, or the at least one first decision may be accepted. The at least one first decision or the at least one second decision is then displayable and modifiable in response to a first input from a second source. In response to the first input from the second source, the rule base is either re-applied to make at least one third decision, wherein the third decision is different from the second decision, or either the first or second decisions are accepted. |
| US07664718B2 |
Method and system for seed based clustering of categorical data using hierarchies
A computerized method of representing a dataset with a taxonomy includes augmenting a dataset containing a plurality of records with a plurality of predetermined exemplars; representing the plurality of records and predetermined exemplars within the augmented dataset as a plurality of clusters in an initial taxonomy layer; generating a truncated hierarchy of cluster sets based on clusters within the initial taxonomy layer, wherein clusters within the truncated hierarchy contain no more than a predetermined number of exemplars; and labeling clusters within the truncated hierarchy. |
| US07664717B2 |
Method and apparatus for building skills in accurate text comprehension and use of comprehension strategies
System and method for developing cognitive skills in a student, utilizing a computing device to present stimuli and to record responses. A stimulus may be graphically presented to the student via the computing device, and the student may be required to respond to the stimulus. A determination may then be made as to the correctness of the student's response. The graphically presenting, requiring, and determining may be performed for each of a plurality of stimuli. Additionally, the graphically presenting, requiring, determining, and performing may be performed in an iterative manner to improve the cognitive skills of the student. Various exercises directed to different cognitive skills and learning approaches may utilize this basic framework, and may be performed in an iterative manner to build cognitive skills in the student. |
| US07664715B2 |
Apparatus and method for compressing data, apparatus and method for analyzing data, and data management system
There are provided an apparatus and a method for compressing data, an apparatus and a method for analyzing data and a data management system, which are capable of compressing huge data and accurately reproducing the characteristics of the original data from the compressed data.The data compressing apparatus includes detection means for detecting a multiplicity of data sets, each including n parameter values that vary according to an operation of an object, where n is a natural number; and data compressing means for compressing the data sets by inputting the data sets into an n-dimensional space, arranging neurons smaller in number than the data sets in the n-dimensional space, carrying out unsupervised learning for a neural network on the neurons, and converting the data sets into a neuron model parameter characterizing a neuron model obtained by the unsupervised learning. |
| US07664713B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing fast kernel learning on sparse data
A method and apparatus based on transposition to speed up learning computations on sparse data are disclosed. For example, the method receives an support vector comprising at least one feature represented by one non-zero entry. The method then identifies at least one column within a matrix with non-zero entries, wherein the at least one column is identified in accordance with the at least one feature of the support vector. The method then performs kernel computations using successive list merging on the at least one identified column of the matrix and the support vector to derive a result vector, wherein the result vector is used in a data learning function. |
| US07664711B2 |
Apparatus, methods and computer programs for metering and accounting for services accessed over a network
Apparatus, methods and computer programs provided for metering and accounting in a commercial e-services infrastructure address the requirement for handling composite services in which higher-level services are built using simpler underlying services, each of which may be autonomously owned and operated. Metering records for each service underlying a composite service are correlated, enabling accounting which takes account of the usage and charges associated with the underlying services, on a per-request basis or on an aggregated basis for each customer-provider pair over a given billing period. |
| US07664710B2 |
Remote authentication of two dimensional barcoded indicia
An indicia authentication system includes a franking device for embedding identification and encrypted authentication data into indicia and applying the indicia to an article, and a computing device for utilizing the identification data to retrieve a key for deciphering the encrypted authentication data, where the computing device is adapted to utilize the deciphered authentication data to determine the validity of the indicia. |
| US07664704B2 |
Clearing receivables with improved search
A system and method match payments with invoices. A payment is received from a business partner. Multiple fields of an invoice database are concatenated to form a single string per record, and a search for an invoice corresponding to the payment is performed. The search may be a fuzzy search based on a search string created from information associated with the payment. |
| US07664700B1 |
System for and method of individual annuity payout administration
A system for and method of administering payouts under an individual annuity contract is provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a computer system is provided which includes a memory for storing individual annuity contract data relating to a individual annuity contract which provides the contract owner with the option to withdraw principal from the annuity during the payout phase, and a processor programmed to process and issue principal payouts as selected by the annuitant. |
| US07664696B2 |
Data processing system for complex pricing and transactional analysis
The present invention provides methods and systems for defining financial transaction components; defining mapping rules for taking individual financial transactions and breaking them down into their components, such as production services, billing services and settlement services. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a transaction instance corresponding to a financial transaction, creates a production service instance linked to the transaction instance by a first relation instance, and creates a billing service instance linked to the production service instance by a second relation instance. The data processing system, may also create other production service instances linked to the transaction instance using other relation instances, as well as, other billing service instances linked to the production service instances. |
| US07664692B2 |
Method and system for creating and trading derivative investment instruments based on an index of investment management companies
A method and system for creating a stock index for a group of investment management companies is disclosed. The method may include obtaining first trade information for each security representative of the group of investment management companies during a first time period, aggregating the first trade information for a predetermined time period, storing the aggregated first trade information, calculating from the aggregated first trade information an index for the group of investment management companies, determining a standardized measure of the index based on the aggregated first trade information obtained in the first time period, and periodically recalculating the index based on second trade information for each security representative of the group of investment management companies during a second time period. |
| US07664691B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating financial monitoring by guardians
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that enables a guardian to monitor a financial account on behalf of an account owner, such as a senior citizen. During operation, the system receives a request from the guardian to access the financial account. In response to this request, the system determines whether the guardian is authorized to access the financial account. If so, the system provides the guardian with read-only access to the financial account, whereby the guardian can monitor activity in the financial account, but cannot perform operations that modify the financial account. |
| US07664690B2 |
Insurance claim management
A technique for evaluating insurance claim management may determine a target value for average loss costs per claim in a given planning period based on a regression analysis of average loss costs per claim in a predetermined base period. In addition, a performance indicator indicative of the performance of insurance claim management may be determined based on a difference between the determined target value and actually achieved average loss costs per claim in said planning period. Related apparatuses, systems, articles of manufacture are also described. |
| US07664686B2 |
Systems and media for managing electronic asset tags for asset devices
Systems, methods, and media for managing electronic asset tags for asset devices are disclosed. Embodiments include a system having one or more asset devices in communication with a network where each asset device has an electronic asset tag, where the electronic asset tag has contents including an asset number associated with the asset device having the electronic asset tag. The system may also include an asset tag manager in communication with the network to access the contents of the electronic asset tags of the one or more asset devices. In a further embodiment, the asset tag manager may be adapted to modify the contents of the electronic asset tags of the one or more asset devices. In another further embodiment, the asset tag manager may be adapted to reload to an asset device the contents of the electronic asset tag of the asset device. |
| US07664681B1 |
Method and devices for sales of gift cards and folder greeting cards
The present invention is method of cooperative selling by way of displays of gift cards of multiple offering entities by adjacent to said displays other items which complement or enhance the gift giving impression upon a potential buyer of one or more gift cards. |
| US07664676B2 |
Roaming for mobile e-commerce
A method is disclosed by which a user of a roaming mobile station can procure services and goods from a content provider at a visiting site. The content provider establishes contact with a mobile e-commerce server, the visited MeC server. The visited MeC server directs the request to the users home MeC server. The home MeC server performs the authentication of the user. In this way security relevant information is not revealed to the visited MeC server. |
| US07664674B2 |
Supply chain and inventory risk management system
A system and method for supply chain and inventory risk management that supplies inventory from a manufacturer to a plurality of customers. An owner entity of the system is transferred a plurality of customer agreements which describe requirements for the distribution of the inventory to the customers in agreed-upon amounts in exchange for agreed-upon payments. Transfer of the customer agreements allows an electronic system of the owner entity to forecast and place orders purchasing from the manufacturer the amount of inventory that will be needed by the customers. Further, the transfer of the agreements increases the certainty that inventory purchased by the owner will be sold to the customer. The electronic owner system may also commission the services of a logistics agent that is capable of providing shipping and handling services customized to high-risk inventory, such as electronic components, increasing the owner's profit on the sale of the inventory. |
| US07664668B2 |
Lead management in multi-tiered sales organizations
Techniques are described that provide automated sales-related assistance to sales organizations, such as for multi-tiered sales organizations that are clients of a multi-tenanted network-accessible server hosting a sales lead management service. The automated assistance may include assisting first-tier sales development representatives to qualify leads as sufficiently developed to allow a second-tier sales representatives to efficiently develop sales from them, and by further assisting the second-tier sales representatives to provide meaningful feedback that addresses problems in the lead qualifying process, such as by notifying a sales development representative of the reasons that one of their qualified sales lead was rejected by a sales representative and prompting resolution by that sales development representative. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US07664667B1 |
Method, system, and program product for on-line service call scheduling
A computing environment or system is disclosed for use by a homeowner for real-time, on-line scheduling of a visit by technician or repairman to diagnose and, if authorized by the user, repair a home appliance such as a refrigerator or washing machine. The system is desirably accessible over the Internet by a customer using a Web browser wherein an interactive screen prompts the user and suggests product information and a nature of the problem. The system desirably obtains and provides to the user a schedule of available appointments for a manufacturer's factory service based on the product and customer information and location of the product. Where factory service is not available in the locality of the user, the system obtains and provides one or more local manufacturer authorized service providers. After selection of a service provider by the user, available appointments are provided. The user selects and confirms one of the appointments. Thereafter, the service provider is notified, for example, automatically by e-mail or facsimile, by the system and is requested to confirm the appointment with the user. |
| US07664665B2 |
System and method for distribution management
A system for distribution management includes a database server (1) interconnecting with a database (12) for storing a sales list (120) and a check list (122), an application server (2), a web server (3), and a weighbridge (8) for obtaining weights of vehicles. The application server includes a sales data maintaining module (22), a checking module (26), and a detecting module (28). A method for distribution management includes the steps of: generating a sales bill and a sales record in accordance with sales data; verifying whether a presently input weight matches a net weight of merchandise carried by a vehicle, and verifying whether the net weight matches a weight recorded in the sales record; generating a checking record; and monitoring distribution procedures. |
| US07664664B2 |
Methods and systems for portfolio planning
Computer implemented methods provide a unified framework for the creation, evaluation and selection of requests for funding, of proposed projects and of proposed products within an enterprise. Processes enable the systematic gathering of assumptions that form the basis for generating proposals and project or product scenarios based upon changes in the assumptions. The generated scenarios may be evaluated against predefined criteria and predefined strategic objectives for the enterprise. |
| US07664663B2 |
System and method for displaying airline seats
The present invention relates to a system and method for displaying airline seats. The system or method transmits data to an application running on a general purpose computer, the data including information descriptive of available individual seats on one or more airplanes, the data processed by the application to generate a graphical user interface on the general purpose computer that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats on the one or more airplanes, the data processed by the application to generate an additional display of information about one or more of the individual seats in response to a user interaction with the graphical user interface, the interaction being triggered when placing a mouse over a portion of the graphical user interface. |
| US07664660B2 |
System for communication of health care data
An apparatus for communicating health care data from a sender to a receiver is provided. The apparatus has a first computer system, a second computer system, and a rules engine. The first computer system has health care data stored therein. The second computer system is in operable communication with, and is configured to extract the health care data from, the first computer system. The rules engine normalizes the extracted health care data to a predefined format. |
| US07664659B2 |
Displaying clinical predicted length of stay of patients for workload balancing in a healthcare environment
A computerized system method for displaying a predicted length of stay and actual length of stay in an inpatient healthcare facility for a patient is provided. A predicted length of stay and an actual length of inpatient stay in a healthcare facility for a patient are accessed. The predicted length of stay and the actual length of inpatient stay for the patient are displayed concurrently. |
| US07664657B1 |
Healthcare communications and documentation system
A communications and documentation system is disclosed that improves staff communication, education, and/or documentation. This system is interactive and integrates speech recognition, telephony, wireless, and/or database technologies, and innovative algorithms in a novel way that allows for assigning staff, scheduling staff activities, and data collection and reporting. The system also incorporates features that promote ease of use by persons who are not skilled at using technology. |
| US07664654B2 |
Methods of treating subterranean formations using well characteristics
An embodiment includes a method of treating a subterranean formation that comprises obtaining one or more well characteristics for a well servicing treatment, determining a price of the well servicing treatment based on the one or more well characteristics, and performing the well servicing treatment in the subterranean formation. Another embodiment includes a method of treating a subterranean formation that comprises obtaining one or more well characteristics for a cementing operation, determining a price of the cementing operation based on the one or more well characteristics, and performing the cementing operation in the subterranean formation. |
| US07664649B2 |
Control apparatus, method and computer readable memory medium for enabling a user to communicate by speech with a processor-controlled apparatus
A control apparatus for enabling a user to communicate by speech with a processor-controlled apparatus, 1) controls a display of text data which includes a speech link that can be activated by a spoken command, 2) determines the location of a cursor displayed on a display from gaze input information, 3) changes a shape of the cursor when the cursor is located over the speech link, and 4) outputs a prompt identifying speech commands that can be used to activate the speech link when the cursor is displayed on the display in a changed state for a predetermined time located over the speech link. |
| US07664646B1 |
Voice activity detection and silence suppression in a packet network
The present invention is a system and method that improves upon voice activity detection by packetizing actual noise signals, typically background noise. In accordance with the present invention an access network receives an input voice signal (including noise) and converts the input voice signal into a packetized voice signal. The packetized voice signal is transmitted via a network to an egress network. The egress network receives the packetized voice signal, converts the packetized voice signal into an output voice signal, and outputs the output voice signal. The egress network also extracts and stores noise packets from the received packetized voice signal and converts the packetized noise signal into an output noise signal. When the access network ceases to receive the input voice signal while the call is still ongoing, the access network instructs the egress network to continually output the output noise signal. |
| US07664644B1 |
Multitask learning for spoken language understanding
A system, method and computer-readable medium provide a multitask learning method for intent or call-type classification in a spoken language understanding system. Multitask learning aims at training tasks in parallel while using a shared representation. A computing device automatically re-uses the existing labeled data from various applications, which are similar but may have different call-types, intents or intent distributions to improve the performance. An automated intent mapping algorithm operates across applications. In one aspect, active learning is employed to selectively sample the data to be re-used. |
| US07664638B2 |
Tracking time using portable recorders and speech recognition
In general, the present invention converts speech, preferably recorded on a portable recorder, to text, analyzes the text, and determines voice commands and times when the voice commands occurred. Task names are associated with voice commands and time segments. These time segments and tasks may be packaged as time increments and stored (e.g., in a file or database) for further processing. Preferably, phrase grammar rules are used when analyzing the text, as this helps to determine voice commands. Using phrase grammar rules also allows the text to contain a variety of topics, only some of which are pertinent to tracking time. |
| US07664634B2 |
System and method for voice user interface navigation
A Voice User Interface (VUI) or Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system utilizes three levels of navigation (e.g. Main Menu, Services, and Helper Commands) in presenting information units arranged in sets. The units are “spoken” by a system in a group to a human user and the group of information at each level is preceded by a tone that is unique to the level. When navigating the levels, the tones of the levels are in a musical progression, e.g. the three-note blues progression I, IV, V, for preceding the groups of information, respectively. The musical progression returns to the tonic of the musical key when the navigation returns to the level one of the first group of information. |
| US07664629B2 |
Second language writing advisor
A writing advisor program (20) receives a proposed text in an author's second language (L2) and determines at least one candidate replacement word for a selected word based on a determined language model (p(c)) and a determined corruption model (p(r|c)). The determined language model reflects correct usage of the text in the second language, independent of the native or first language (L1) of the author, based on (L2) corpora. The determined corruption model is based on some a priori knowledge about probable corruption paths leading the author to realize some inadequate expression in the second language instead of the correct, intended expression. Different types of corruption paths may be used that include bidirectional translations, false-friends, synonyms, common semantic features, second language internal cognates, preposition alternatives, and first language inserts. |
| US07664626B1 |
Ambiguous-state support in virtual machine emulators
A method and apparatus for ambiguous-state support in virtual machine emulators executes a suspect application in a core emulation model for all versions, variations, or generations of a given computer system component and then branches at the point where ambiguous behavior is detected, i.e., at the occurrence/request/trigger of a version variable behavior by the suspect application. The state of the emulation up to the version variable behavior branch point is then copied, and each variable behavior branch is further emulated using variable specific emulation models and only from the point of ambiguity, i.e., from the point of variable behavior, forward. |
| US07664622B2 |
Using interval techniques to solve a parametric multi-objective optimization problem
A system that solves a parametric multi-objective optimization problem in a combined design space and parameter space using interval techniques is described. The design space contains design-space variables fixed for a selected design; the parameter space contains variable parameters for the selected design. Multiple-objective functions are specified for optimization. The system initializes a design-variable box spanning the design space and performs interval optimization process on the parameter space by subdividing the design-variable box into design-variable sub-boxes, and iteratively: (1) determining parametric Pareto fronts for a design-variable sub-box using an interval optimization technique; (2) comparing parametric Pareto fronts associated with a set of design-variable sub-boxes and determining the parametric Pareto fronts certainly dominated by other parametric Pareto fronts; (3) eliminating the design-variable sub-boxes associated with the certainly dominated Pareto fronts; and (4) subdividing remaining design-variable sub-boxes. An optimized solution is produced from the remaining design-variable sub-boxes and the associated parametric Pareto fronts. |
| US07664621B2 |
System and method for mapping system transfer functions
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for mapping system transfer functions. Accordingly, some operations may include receiving a first intermediate signal that is at least partially based upon a first reference signal. A second intermediate signal is received that is at least partially based upon a second reference signal. An output signal is generated that is based upon the difference between the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal. A first anticipated differential change in the output signal is determined, the first anticipated differential change to occur based upon a transition in the first reference signal. A second anticipated differential change in the output signal is determined, the second anticipated differential change to occur based upon a transition in the second reference signal. Numerous other operations are also within the scope of the present disclosure. |
| US07664617B2 |
Monitoring and reporting normalized device system performance
Apparatus and computer program products are provided to monitor and report performance data of a device such as a data storage drive. A plurality of quantitative values are obtained from feedback and measurement mechanisms in a data storage device of a first model during operation of the storage device. The plurality of quantitative values are normalized. Then, one or more qualitative values are generated from one or more normalized quantitative values and evaluated against corresponding baseline performance values established for the first model. |
| US07664615B2 |
Method for determining a critical reduction in shaft speed in a work machine
A method for determining a critical reduction in shaft speed in a work machine having at least one monitored shaft driven by a crankshaft of an engine includes determining an actual rotational speed of the crankshaft; determining an actual rotational speed of a first monitored shaft; determining a filtered rotational speed of the first monitored shaft based on an algorithm that utilizes the actual rotational speed of the first monitored shaft, the actual rotational speed of the crankshaft, and a reference rotational speed of the crankshaft; comparing the filtered rotational speed to the actual rotational speed of the first monitored shaft; determining whether the actual rotational speed of the first monitored shaft deviates from the filtered rotational speed by a predetermined amount; and activating an alarm if the actual rotational speed of the first monitored shaft deviates from the filtered rotational speed by the predetermined amount. |
| US07664612B2 |
Signal processing system and method
First and second complementary voltage signals are operatively coupled across a series circuit comprising first and second sense resistors and a circuit element therebetween. An output signal responsive to the self-impedance of the circuit element is generated responsive at least one of a voltage across the first sense resistor and a voltage across the second sense resistor, and at least one of the first and second complementary voltage signals is controlled responsive to the output signal so as to provide for attenuating at least one noise signal having a frequency that is substantially different from a frequency of the first and second complementary voltage signals. |
| US07664607B2 |
Pre-calibrated gas sensor
A pre-calibrated gas sensor is disclosed. The gas sensor includes a cathode and an anode for outputting a current signal responsive to a sensed oxygen concentration and a signal processing module in communication with the cathode and the anode and configured to receive the current signal and to output a pre-calibrated signal representative of the sensed gas concentration based on a value of the received current signal. |
| US07664606B2 |
Apparatus and method for monitoring biological information, and computer program product
A biological-information monitoring apparatus includes a detecting unit that detects pulse intervals of a target person. Moreover, a first calculating unit calculates an average pulse interval that is an average of the pulse intervals within a first period. The first period is decided based on a target pulse interval. Finally, a second calculating unit calculates a parasympathetic nervous index based on a difference between the average pulse interval and the target pulse interval. |
| US07664604B1 |
Breast cancer risk analysis and computer-aided diagnosis
The present invention is a method of determining breast cancer risk including the steps of establishing a risk probably value associated with a patient, the risk probability value calculated from an array of risk factors associated with breast cancer, applying a computer algorithm adapted to find abnormalities in the patient's mammogram, and increasing the tolerance level for false positive results in the computer algorithm responsive to a higher probability value associated with the patient and decreasing the tolerance level for false positive results in the computer algorithm responsive to a lower probability value associated with the patient. |
| US07664597B2 |
Address input method and apparatus for navigation system
A method and apparatus for use with a navigation system allows a user to easily and quickly input an address of a destination with use of a specially made database even when spelling of the address is not certain to the user. The navigation system is designed to help the user in entering a desired street name accurately and efficiently by checking candidate cities when a first character of street name is specified. Since the user accurately knows at least the first character of the intended street name, the candidate street names will be narrowed down by selecting the city. The user may further input second character and further characters upon which the navigation system incrementally retrieves candidate street names with use of the comprehensive alphabetical usage file. |
| US07664590B2 |
System for detecting ignition failure in a gas turbine engine
A method of operating a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes introducing a fuel into a combustor, detecting a failure of ignition of the fuel, and preventing ignition until the introduced fuel is substantially removed from the gas turbine engine. |
| US07664589B2 |
Apparatus and method for following a preceding vehicle
An apparatus and method for controlling a vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle. A stop-holding device maintains a stopped state automatically when the vehicle is stopped, and the stop-holding device is in an enabled state or a disabled state. A control state for following the preceding vehicle is changed, at least in part, according to a set state of the stop-holding device. |
| US07664588B2 |
Engine overrate detection method and apparatus
A method is provided for determining variance of actual engine torque from reported engine torque, including configuring a controller with an algorithm to calculate the ratios of current and maximum engine torque to reported torque upon the initiation of high-throttle 1-2 shift, high-throttle 2-3 shift, high-throttle torque converter lockup, and at maximum Engine Rating Torque Function for each high-throttle torque converter drive cycle. An apparatus is also provided for detecting engine torque variance in a vehicle having an engine, a throttle, and a torque converter, the apparatus comprising a controller with memory and an algorithm for calculating the maximum and current engine torque variance upon the occurrence a predetermined throttle condition, and storing the values in accessible memory, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the algorithm upon the occurrence of one of the throttle conditions, and wherein the throttle and torque converter each communicate speed signals to the controller. |
| US07664580B2 |
Method for operating drive train side components of a motor vehicle
A method for operating power train side components of a motor vehicle. Using a control device of a motor, at least one motor parameter is issued and delivered via a databus to at least one control device of one other power drive side component working independently of the motor control device in order to operate all or each one of the power drive side components dependent. in a first inventive aspect, a behavior of the respective other power drive side components that adjusts itself according to the motor torque actually made available by the motor is evaluated. In second inventive aspect, the motor torque issued by the motor control device is compared with a torque stored according to motor operation parameters in the control device working independently of the motor control device. |
| US07664579B2 |
Test interface for diagnosing communication faults in automobiles
A diagnostic test interface circuit and method for using the same are disclosed. The circuit isolates communication links at a junction box having one pin for each of the communication links. The circuit includes a bus, a plurality of switches, and a plurality of connection leads. The switches each have a first terminal connected to the bus. Each connection lead includes a first end having a connector that connects to one of the pins and a second end that connects to a corresponding one of the switches such that the switch connects the connection lead to the bus when the switch is closed. The circuit can be used to diagnose a fault in a vehicle having a plurality of modules that communicate over a star-configured network. |
| US07664577B2 |
Control apparatus capable of economically and reliably controlling electric generator
According to the present invention, a control apparatus for an electric generator includes a power generation cost determiner determining a power generation cost of the generator, a threshold determiner determining a threshold of power generation cost as a function of a state of charge of an electric energy storage device, a comparator comparing the power generation cost of the generator with the threshold, and a controller. When the power generation cost of the generator is lower than the threshold, the controller controls the generator to generate an increased amount of electric power, so as to both charge the electric energy storage device and feed an electrical load. Otherwise, when the power generation cost of the generator is higher than the threshold, the controller controls the generator to generate a decreased amount of electric power, so as to allow the electric energy storage device to discharge to feed the electrical load. |
| US07664576B2 |
Apparatus and method for assembling tire and wheel based on rigidity and radial runout of wheel
Based upon rigidity classifications of wheels and radial runout classifications of the wheels, the lower the rigidity classification or the lower the radial runout classification, the more likely a methodology (heavy point-light point alignment) is selected in which a light point of static imbalance of the tire and a heavy point of static imbalance of the wheel are aligned with each other, than another methodology (radial force variation alignment) in which a peak position of a primary component of radial force variation of the tire and a bottom position of a primary component of radial runout of the wheel are aligned with each other, so as to assemble a tire and a wheel together. |
| US07664573B2 |
Integrated building environment data system
A system for gathering date in a space includes a data server, a first wireless module operably connected to the data server, a first plurality of wireless sensor modules, and at least one other wireless sensor module. The first plurality of wireless sensors module are operable to generate sensor data relating to the control and operation of an HVAC system. The first plurality of wireless sensor modules are also operable to communicate the first sensor data to the first wireless module. The at least one other wireless sensor module is operable to generate second sensor data relating to at least one of the group consisting of light fixtures, architectural fixtures and plumbing fixtures, office equipment, and vending machines and furniture. The at least one other wireless sensor module is also operable to communicate the second sensor data to the first wireless module. |
| US07664561B1 |
Task queuing methodology for reducing traffic jam and to control transmission priority in an automatic material handling system
A new Task Queue Methodology (TQM) is provided for reducing traffic jams and for controlling transportation priority in an Automatic Material Handling System (AMHS). A Stocker Resource Q, under control of TQM, maintains records of stockers that are under control of the AMHS and the availability thereof. For available stockers, a Task-Q under control of a Queue Manager (TQM) is accessed, extracting therefrom records that match available stocker resources. For the available stocker resources, the tasks that are scheduled against these resources are sorted by priority and by longest wait time, resulting in one selected task. For the in this manner selected task, a Move command is issued by the TQM to the Automatic Material Handling System. |
| US07664559B1 |
Effective deployment of temporal noise shaping (TNS) filters
The MPEG2 Advanced Audio Coder (AAC) standard limits the number of filters used to either one filter for a “short” block or three filters for a “long” block. In cases where the need for additional filters is present but the limit of permissible filters has been reached, the remaining frequency spectra are simply not covered by TNS. Two solutions are proposed to deploy TNS filters in order to get the entire spectrum of the signal into TNS. The first method involves a filter bridging technique and complies with the current AAC standard. The second method involves a filter clustering technique. Although the second method is both more efficient and accurate in capturing the temporal structure of the time signal, it is not AAC standard compliant. Thus, a new syntax for packing filter information derived using the second method for transmission to a receiver is also outlined. |
| US07664557B2 |
Medical apparatus and method
To facilitate an intuitive operation of an adjustable device of a medical apparatus, a system for the automatic setting of an operating configuration of the portable control module controlling the adjustable device is provided. Different operating configurations regarding the directional control of the movement of the movable device differ are based on the relative spatial position of the adjustable device with respect to the control module. The system includes at least one signal sender unit for sending a signal. The signal sender unit may be arranged on the control module. The system further includes at least two signal converter units for converting and retransmitting or for converting and reflecting the signal. The signal converter units may be arranged on different positions on the device. A signal receiver unit is used for receiving the converted signal, and the receiver unit may be arranged on the control module. |
| US07664551B2 |
Treatment of the autonomic nervous system
Systems and methods are provided for modulating the autonomic nervous system by the electrical stimulation of the neuro-muscular system of a patient, and include an implantable electrical system for gastrointestinal stimulation which incorporates a heart rate sensor to indicate the neurovegetative patient condition, to initiate and terminate stimulation at specific locations, and an algorithm to automatically control electrical stimulation frequency, interval, amplitude, or a combination of such parameters for adaptive treatment of obesity, anorexia, other eating disorders, diseases related with the so called “metabolic syndrome” (e.g., impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes type 2, GERD, systemic hypertension, early arterovascular degeneration, early senility, and the like), and disorders related to a pathologic imbalance of the autonomic nervous system. |
| US07664550B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting left ventricular lead displacement based upon EGM change
Displacement or migration of a left ventricular lead located within the coronary sinus or coronary veins of the heart is detected by comparing an electrogram (EGM) waveform pattern from the lead with a stored baseline EGM waveform pattern. Based upon the extent of lead migration, if any, a lead displacement may produce an annunciating response. The patient may be alerted, an electrical stimulus applied through the lead may be adjusted to compensate for lead migration, or an alternative electrode on the lead may be used for EGM sensing and pacing. |
| US07664547B2 |
Active implantable medical device with biventricular pacing and automatic optimization of pacing configuration
An active implantable medical device with biventricular pacing and automatic optimization of pacing configuration. The device collects and analyzes an endocardial acceleration signal (EA), and searches for an optimal pacing configuration based upon a performance index derived from at least one value relating to one and/or the other of the two endocardial acceleration peaks (PEA I, PEA II) over a given heart cycle. Optimization search operates through a scanning of a parameter, e.g., atrio-ventricular delay, and calculation of the surface area underneath the characteristic of the peak amplitude as a function of the scanned parameter (atrioventricular delay). |
| US07664546B2 |
Posture detection system and method
A posture detection system includes an implantable device and a patient-external respiratory therapy device coupled via a communications channel. At least one of the implantable device and the patient-external respiratory therapy devices includes a posture detector. Posture information is transferred between the implantable device and the patient-external respiratory therapy device. The posture information may be used in connection with sleep detection or to modify therapy delivered by the implantable cardiac device and/or the patient-external respiratory therapy device. |
| US07664545B2 |
Electrode assembly for constant-current electroporation and use
The present invention relates to a modular electrode system, and its use, for facilitating the introduction of a macromolecule into cells of a selected tissue in a body or plant. The modular electrode system comprises a non-symmetrically arranged plurality of needle electrodes; a hypodermic needle; an electrical connector that provides a conductive link from a programmable constant-current pulse controller to the plurality of needle electrodes; and a power source. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an operator can grasp the plurality of needle electrodes that are mounted on a support structure and firmly insert the them into the selected tissue in a body or plant. The macromolecules are then delivered via the hypodermic needle into the selected tissue. The programmable constant-current pulse controller is activated and constant-current electrical pulse is applied to the plurality of needle electrodes. The applied constant-current electrical pulse facilitates the introduction of the macromolecule into the cell between the plurality of electrodes. Cell death due to overheating of cells is minimized by limiting the power dissipation in the tissue by virtue of constant-current pulses. |
| US07664542B2 |
Registering intra-operative image data sets with pre-operative 3D image data sets on the basis of optical surface extraction
The invention relates to a method for registering intra-operative image data set with pre-operative 3D image data set, including: spatially calibrating an optical 3D sensor system with an intra-operative imaging modality, intra-operatively detecting the surface of an examination area of interest with the 3D sensor system to produce an intra-operative surface mask, intra-operatively recording the area of interest for examination with the intra-operative modality at least partly containing the intra-operative surface mask to obtain an intra-operative image data set, computing the same surface from the pre-operative 3D image data set containing the detected surface to obtain a pre-operative surface mask, registering the intra-operative and pre-operative surface mask with each other, determining a mapping specification between pre-operative 3D image data set and intra-operative image data set based on the calibration and the registration, and overlaying the intra-operative image data set with the pre-operative 3D data set based on the mapping specification. |
| US07664541B2 |
Multi-channel magnetic resonance imaging reconstruction method for water-fat separation
In a multi-channel magnetic resonance imaging reconstruction method for water-fat separation, one in-phase image and two opposed-phase images are acquired with multiple reception coils in respective channels. The sensitivity distribution of the coils of the respective channels is calculated. The images of respective channels are merged dependent on the sensitivity distribution. A phase difference between the two opposed-phase images is calculated. At lease one characteristic region of the in-phase image is detected, which is used as a criterion for phase correction. The phases of the opposed-phase images are corrected and images of water and fat are calculated. The method provides stable and reliable imaging, has a short reconstruction time and also solves the problem that images of water and fat may be exchanged. |
| US07664539B2 |
Foldable portable terminal
A foldable portable terminal of the present invention includes a body cabinet 1 provided with a microphone 14 and a cover cabinet 2 provided with first and second speakers 41, 42, openably/closably coupled to each other. Any one or both of the cabinets are provided with closing means for closing a sound emitting hole 22a of the first speaker in a closed state of the both cabinets. Alternatively, a partition wall for partitioning the first speaker and the second speaker is formed inside the cover cabinet. Alternatively, the body cabinet has an inner surface provided with a transmission unit 6 incorporating a microphone 63 and being rotatable between a first rotational posture where the unit faces the inner surface side of the body cabinet and a second rotational posture where the unit faces a direction deviating from the cover cabinet in a closed position. |
| US07664535B2 |
Control method for high-frequency radio equipment and high-frequency radio system
A control method for a high-frequency radio equipment and a high-frequency radio equipment system in spread spectrum radio data communication are provided which are interference-tolerant and can maintain transmission quality with improved receiving sensitivity.A high-frequency radio equipment system provided with, in a base station, an antenna part comprised by a plurality of antennas, a radio part for amplifying a received signal, band-limiting and down-converting it to an intermediate frequency, a signal processing part for carrier-demodulating the signal inputted from the radio part, demodulating the signal which was despread-spectrum processed and synchronized and decoding the received data, an antenna control part for determining a code error rate for the received data inputted from the signal processing part, forming an appropriate antenna pattern based on the error rate and outputting a signal for controlling an antenna switching part according to the information of the antenna pattern. |
| US07664534B1 |
Communications system and method using remote antennas
In a communications system, one or more remote antenna systems communicate with one another and with associated base stations using a millimeter band microwave link, such as an E-band communications link. The remote antennas may be daisy-chained together to communicate with a plurality of base stations located at a base station hotel. Remote antennas may be positioned in cells having different peak traffic times to enable load balancing between base stations that share a common backhaul communications link with a mobile switching center. |
| US07664533B2 |
Method and apparatus for a multi-beam antenna system
An antenna array in a radio node includes multiple antenna elements for transmitting a wider beam covering a majority of a sector cell that includes a common signal and a narrower beam covering only a part of the sector cell that includes a mobile user-specific signal. Transmitting circuitry is coupled to the antenna array, and processing circuitry is coupled to the transmitting circuitry. The processing circuitry ensures the user-specific signal and the common signal in a mixed beam embodiment are in-phase and time-aligned at the antenna array. In a steered beam embodiment, the processing circuitry ensures the user-specific signal and the common signal are time-aligned and have a controlled phase difference when received at mobile stations in the sector cell. In both embodiments, distortions in the common signal and the user-specific signal associated with their conversion from baseband frequency to radio frequency are also compensated. And in the steered beam embodiment, beam forming weights are used not only to radiate a narrower beam to the desired mobile user but also to direct a wider common signal beam to reach all mobile users in the cell. |
| US07664532B2 |
Radio transmission scheduling according to multiradio control in a radio modem
A system for managing the simultaneous operation of a plurality of radio modems in a single wireless communication device (WCD). The multiradio control may be integrated into the WCD as a subsystem responsible for scheduling wireless communications by temporarily enabling or disabling the plurality of radio modems within the device. The multiradio control system may comprise a multiradio controller (MRC) and a plurality dedicated radio interfaces. The radio interfaces are dedicated to quickly conveying delay sensitive information to and from the radio modems. The modems may further include control features that take information from the MRC as an input in determining the priority of messages to be sent out to a receiving device. |
| US07664531B2 |
Communication method
An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is capable of communication and exchanging images with a different information processing apparatus, and comprises a storage unit for storing a display pattern dictionary including one or a plurality of finger character images, each finger character image corresponding to a character and/or a numeral and representing a finger character, an operation unit for inputting a character and/or a numeral, an image selecting unit for selecting, from the display pattern dictionary, a finger character image corresponding to the character and/or numeral input by the operation unit, and a transmitting unit for transmitting the selected finger character image to the different information processing apparatus. |
| US07664528B2 |
Method and system for mobile receiver antenna architecture for European band cellular and broadcasting services
A method for an antenna architecture that handles European band cellular and broadcast channels may be provided. The method may comprise receiving at a first radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) integrated within a mobile terminal, RF signals in a first cellular frequency band of a first cellular network via an antenna. The antenna may be coupled to a second RFIC integrated within the mobile terminal capable of handling RF signals in one or more other cellular frequency bands of at least a second cellular network. A third RFIC integrated within the mobile terminal coupled to the antenna may be capable of handling the received RE signals in a UHF broadcast band. |
| US07664522B2 |
Adjusting a transmit power of a subscriber device of a communication network by a transmit/receive means
A device for adjusting a transmit power spectrum of a subscriber device of a communication network, having a means for receiving an attenuation measure for an attenuation, which a signal experiences on its way from a transmit/receive means to the subscriber device of the communication network connected to the transmit/receive means, from the subscriber device, a means for determining a modified attenuation measure and shaping coefficients for a frequency-dependent shaping of the transmit power spectrum based on the attenuation measure determined by and received from the subscriber device, and a means for transferring the modified attenuation measure and the shaping coefficients to the subscriber device. |
| US07664520B2 |
Low current direct conversion transmitter architecture
Disclosed is a method to operate a RF transmitter, and an RF transmitter constructed to operate in accordance with the method. The method includes determining a transmitter output power and varying a level of a signal at a transmitter phase modulator according to the transmitter output power so as to increase the level of the signal as the transmitter output power increases and to decrease the level of the signal as the transmitter output power decreases. In the preferred embodiment the method further includes adjusting the current consumption of a plurality of components of an RF transmitter chain in accordance with at least one of the level of the signal and the gain of the stage. |
| US07664515B2 |
Advanced user interface operations in a dual-mode wireless device
A system and method are provided for mobile stations for enhancing the ease of use of a mobile station. Through the system and method, a user may more easily view the phone number of a caller identification card. The user may be alerted when the user tries to send messages while out of GPRS coverage, or the mobile station may recognize extension numbers in address book user interface applications to assist with a dialing operation. |
| US07664512B2 |
Datalink throughput reduction via energy detection
A geolocation system (10) includes an emitter (12), a plurality of collection nodes (14,16,18), and a control station (20). Each collection node includes a receiver (24) that is operable to receive signals transmitted from the emitter (12), generate a reduced data stream that includes only signal data, and communicate the reduced data stream to the control station (20) along with navigation data. The receiver (24) identifies signal data by detecting an energy level of the raw collection data. More specifically, the receiver (24) determines a bandwidth and a signal-to-noise ratio of each portion of the collection data, and identifies each portion as including signal data if both the bandwidth and the signal-to-noise ratio exceed predetermined threshold amounts. The receiver (24) includes a digital signal processing component (36) for performing calculations used by the receiver (24) to determine the bandwidth and the signal-to-noise ratio. |
| US07664510B1 |
Location-based forwarding of a communication
The invention provides a method and a system for forwarding a telephone call. The inventive method includes receiving a telephone call from a calling party line to a called party line, determining a location of the called party, determining a proximity of the location of the called party to one or more subscriber locations, and directing the telephone call to the one or more subscriber locations based on the determined proximity. The subscriber locations may be predefined by the called party. The location of the called party may be determined using a global position system and/or a radio frequency signal, for example. |
| US07664508B2 |
Communication system with a request by a single node made over one of two separate timeslots
A communication system is provided for communication between network nodes and a communication controller. In the network, a request signal is transmitted from a node to the communication controller in one of two separate timeslots to enable transmission of a signal from the individual node. A first one of the reservation timeslots provides for random access requests that can be made by multiple ones of the nodes. A second one of the timeslots is assigned exclusively to the one node. The first random access request timeslot can be used to carry requests for assignment of an exclusive node, while the second exclusively assigned reservation request timeslot can be provided to carry requests to transmit packets containing alphanumeric data. |
| US07664506B2 |
Arrangement and method for capacity management in communication system
A communication system includes a plurality of channels, a first service that utilizes at least a first channel for transmission, and a second service that utilizes at least a second channel for transmission. Operating means are provided for operating the first service in connection with the second service, so that the first service can utilize the second channel. Adjusting means are provided for adjusting the utilization of the second channel by the second service at least during the connected operation of the first and the second service. The utilization of a channel whose capacity is essentially dynamically adjustable is facilitated by a service that, according to the pre-defined protocols, is directed to use a channel whose capacity is more statically adjustable. |
| US07664503B2 |
Method for multimedia broadcast/multicast service signaling bearer connection on Iu interface
A method of signaling bearer connection on Iu interface for MBMS service, includes the following steps: (a) RNC receives a MBMS Notification message for a certain MBMS service from SGSN; (b) RNC constructs a MBMS Service Request message according to the contents of the notification; (c) RNC sends a SCCP Connection Request message to SGSN, requests to establish a SCCP signaling connection, and then waits for a reply; (d) RNC receives a SCCP Connection Confirmation message from SGSN. This invention solves the problem of signaling connection on Iu interface after MBMS service is introduced into the existing mobile communication system. The connection mode provided in this invention can reasonably utilize network resources, effectively reduce signaling congestion on Iu interface and reduce modifications to the existing Iu interface message. |
| US07664500B2 |
Network service control method and agent dispatching method used therein
A network service control method detects whether a mobile node communicating with a corresponding node is trending to a second local area network from a first local area network and forks and transmits a user agent and a server agent to a proxy when the mobile node is trending to the second local area network. After that, the user agent registers onto the proxy according to a result obtained by the handshaking. Finally, when the mobile node moves into the second local area network, the mobile node communicates with the user agent for obtaining a connection tunnel reserved by the user agent to communicate with the corresponding node. |
| US07664499B2 |
Method for categorization of multiple providers in a wireless communication service environment
A communication device locates a preferable wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a frequency band search schedule. Initially, the communications device registers with a less preferred service provider in a first frequency band. While remaining registered with the less preferred service provider, the device examines several frequency bands in the order specified by the frequency band search schedule. A frequency band is examined by dividing the frequency band into many sub-bands, and by locating the strongest signal above a threshold within the sub-band being examined. The examination continues until a second frequency band having a more preferred service provider is located. The communication device then registers with the more preferred service provider. The category of service provider may be identified and displayed on the communication device. |
| US07664492B1 |
Network engineering in a wireless network
A and collects provides various types of information therefrom, including E911 location information, Hand Off (HO) information, and Power information, as well as other Measurements and System Parameters. This information is analyzed by a Data Collection and Filtering system and the results of this analysis are provided to a Network Control system to dynamically control the operation of the wireless network. The various optimizations that can be achieved include: (1) dynamically allocating radio frequency (RF) signal power in the wireless network, (2) setting dynamic dedicated handoff (HO) thresholds for individual mobile transceivers; and (3) intelligently forming or steering radio frequency (RF) signal beams. Moreover, the collected and analyzed information can be used to identify and resolve problems in the wireless network, especially when the identified problems are correlating with E911 location information. |
| US07664488B2 |
Location blocking service from a web advertiser
Location-blocking and identity-blocking services that can be commercially offered by a service promoter, e.g., a cellular service provider or a web advertiser. In the identity-blocking service, the service promoter may disclose the current physical location of a mobile subscriber (i.e., a cellular phone operator) to a third party (e.g., a web advertiser) subscribing to the identity-blocking service. However, the service promoter may not send any identity information for the mobile subscriber to the third party. On the other hand, in the location-blocking service, the service promoter may disclose the mobile subscriber's identity information to the third party, but not the current physical location of the mobile subscriber. Blocking of the mobile subscriber's identity or location information may be desirable for privacy reasons, to comply with a government regulation, or to implement a telecommunication service option selected by the mobile subscriber. However, in the case of the mobile subscriber requesting emergency help, the service promoter may not block identity and/or location information. Instead, the service promoter may send all such information to the emergency service provider (e.g., the police or a hospital). |
| US07664486B2 |
Server, mobile terminal, and service method
The server which provides at least one of an image and additional information of the image via a network to a mobile terminal of an access source when access is received from the mobile terminal via the network using access information recorded together with the image on a prescribed print medium, the server comprises: an encrypting device which encrypts identification information corresponding to the image; an access information generating device which generates the access information containing a plain text URL required for access to the server and the encrypted identification information; a print instruction information creating device which creates instruction information that the access information is recorded together with the image onto a print medium by a prescribed printer; a receiving device which receives the encrypted identification information contained in the access information from the mobile terminal when the access information recorded on the print medium is inputted to the mobile terminal; a decrypting device which decrypts the encrypted identification information that is received; and a transmitting device which transmits at least one of the image and the additional information of the image that correspond to the decrypted identification information to the mobile terminal. |
| US07664484B2 |
Pooling groups of wireless communication users
Systems and methods for pooling a plurality of telecommunication users into groups is disclosed. One method includes ranking the telecommunication users in an order based on a usage parameter. The usage parameter, for example, may be the average service usage time per billing period. Once ranked, the telecommunication users are pooled into at least two groups, each group comprising at least one telecommunication user within a range of ranks. The method may further include calculating estimated costs for the users to use cost-effective rate plans selected from a group of available rate plans and re-pooling the users into other possible combinations to determine the most cost-effective pooling combination and respective rate plans. |
| US07664480B2 |
Method of connecting to network in broadband wireless access system
The primitives between an upper management layer and the MAC layer within a mobile station and a base station are defined in order to specify and clarify the operations within the protocol stack layers in a broadband wireless access system to allow a mobile station to perform a method of connecting to the network. Media Independent Handover (MIH) procedures can be achieved because the NCMS and MIH layer can communicate through use of these primitives. |
| US07664477B2 |
Communications system using a low cost oscillator and related method thereof
A communications system includes a first oscillator for producing a first clock signal; a second oscillator for producing a second clock signal; and a secondary circuit coupled to the first oscillator and the second oscillator for determining a second oscillation frequency corresponding to a frequency of the second clock signal; the second oscillation signal being determined according to the first clock signal, the second clock signal, and a first oscillation frequency corresponding to a frequency of the first clock signal. |
| US07664476B2 |
Human body communication system and communication device
Disclosed herein is a human body communication system for communicating data via an electric field formed by intervention of a human body, the human body communication system including: a transmitter for generating the electric field by transmitting a potential difference signal corresponding to transmission data from a transmitting electrode; and a receiver for receiving the data by reading the potential difference signal in the electric field by a receiving electrode; wherein the transmitter and the receiver use the potential difference signal in a frequency band such that a quasi-electrostatic field formed within the human body is dominant over a radiation field formed outside the human body when the transmitting electrode and the receiving electrode are each disposed in very close vicinity to the human body. |
| US07664471B2 |
Wireless transceiver and method for producing the same
A wireless transceiver includes a mechanical key, a resin case having a hollow space that accepts the mechanical key and a reinforcement for reinforcing the resin case. The hollow space in the resin case is defined by a combination of a thin wall and a thick wall, and the resin case has the reinforcements made from a thin metal plate in the hollow space at two positions spaced by a predetermined length along a longitudinal direction of the mechanical key being accepted therein. Each of the reinforcements bridges the thin wall and the thick wall that is adjacent to the thin wall. |
| US07664466B2 |
Transmission rate control method, transmission rate control system, and mobile station
A transmission rate control method for controlling a transmission rate of a channel to which the transmission rate control method is applied, include: notifying, at a radio network controller, at a timing of a call setup or the like, a primary allowable transmission rate of the channel to which the transmission rate control method is applied; starting, at a mobile station, after the call setup, transmission at a transmission rate below the primary allowable transmission rate, when data to be transmitted is generated; and controlling, at the mobile station, the transmission rate of the channel to which the transmission rate control method is applied, based on an Relative Grant Channel transmitted from a radio base station. |
| US07664464B2 |
Method for the exchange of data
A method for exchange of data between a mobile communications unit carried by a user and at least one of a first communications unit, a second communications unit and a computer unit positioned at different locations in an environment such as a building. When the first communications unit and the mobile communications unit are spaced at a predetermined distance, a near-field radio connection is generated within this distance. After data exchange between the mobile communications unit and the first communications unit, the data are communicated by the first communications unit to the computer unit. When the second communications unit and the mobile communications unit are spaced from one another at the predetermined distance, a near-field radio connection is generated within this distance. A data exchange takes place between the mobile communications unit and the second communications unit by the near-field radio connection. |
| US07664463B2 |
Portable loss prevention system
A loss prevention system containing a Bluetooth transceiver and a motion detection system monitors the presence of a portable electronic device such as a cell phone in the vicinity and alerts when that device leaves its vicinity. The system transceiver is activated upon detecting a movement and turned off after a check is done in order to conserve battery. |
| US07664457B2 |
Preset recording method through service linking in DMB terminal
A preset recording method through service linking according to movement from a first broadcasting area to a second broadcasting area in a terrestrial DMB terminal is provided. A preset recording for a predetermined broadcast program is checked to see if a current time is equal to a recording start time based on the specified preset recording; if so, extracting service linking information for the predetermined broadcast program; displaying that the DMB terminal has moved from the first broadcasting service area for the preset recording when the extracted service linking information corresponds to hard linking information, and recording a broadcasting program according to the hard linking information; and if they correspond, displaying that the DMB terminal has moved from the first broadcasting service area for the preset recording, and providing a list of broadcasting programs according to the soft linking information to enable a user to reset a preset recording function. |
| US07664454B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a medium transporting mechanism. A first transporting section transports a recording medium on which an image is formed. A second transporting section receives the recording medium from the first transporting section and then further transports the recording medium. The second transporting section has a smaller transporting force than the first transporting section. A controller controls the second transporting section in such a way that the second transporting section transports the recording medium at a higher speed than the first transporting section. |
| US07664453B2 |
Cleaning device and image forming apparatus
A cleaning device includes: a housing; a cleaning roller provided in the housing and operable to come into contact with a photosensitive drum; a cleaning blade operable to come into contact with a surface of the photosensitive drum at a position lower than a nip position between the cleaning roller and the photosensitive drum; and a toner guide plate disposed below the cleaning roller. The toner guide plate includes: a blade proximity portion in proximity to the cleaning blade; and a toner guide portion extending along an outer surface of the cleaning roller, spaced away from the outer surface of the cleaning roller by a predetermined gap. In the cleaning device, the surface of the photosensitive drum can be polished as required. |
| US07664452B2 |
Fixing device, and image forming apparatus provided with the same
A fixing device includes: a fixing roller; a support roller arranged apart from the fixing roller; an endless fixing belt wound around the fixing roller and the support roller; a pressing roller for applying a pressure force to the fixing roller while the fixing belt being sandwiched between the fixing roller and the pressing roller; a nip extending member arranged on an upstream of the fixing roller and on an inner side of the fixing belt and having a pressing surface for pressing the fixing belt; and a variable mechanism for changing a state of a pressure applied to the fixing belt by the nip extending member. |
| US07664447B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a fixing member of which surface is deformable, a heating unit that heats the fixing member, a pressurizing unit having an endless member and a pressurizing member. The pressurizing member includes an elastic layer and presses the endless member against the fixing member to bring the endless member into pressure contact with the fixing member. The elastic layer has an apparent hardness (ASKER-C) which is larger than that at a point where an apparent hardness starts to change rapidly with respect to a rubber thickness in a load application direction. |
| US07664443B2 |
Image forming apparatus having improved home position sensing structure of transfer belt, and method of disposing home position sensing apparatus of transfer belt for image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt having a light penetrating portion formed at one side of an edge portion of the transfer belt, a protection tape adhered to both sides of the edge portion to cover the light penetrating portion, and a guide member attached to one side of the protection tape. A plurality of rotation rollers drive the transfer belt in a caterpillar-type manner and include a guide groove formed at both ends of each rotation roller such that the guide member is inserted therein. A sensing body receives one end of the transfer belt to be positioned therein. A first sensing element and a second sensing element are disposed at both sides of the transfer belt such that a second distance from a transfer surface of the transfer belt to the second sensing element is longer than a first distance from the other surface of the transfer belt to the first sensing element. |
| US07664435B2 |
Development apparatus
There is provided a development apparatus including a plurality of replenishment developer containers which accommodates a replenishment developer containing a toner to be replenished to a plurality of development devices, a plurality of replenishment developer conveyance paths which replenishes the replenishment developer in the plurality of replenishment developer containers to the plurality of development devices, a plurality of conveyance members provided in the plurality of replenishment developer conveyance paths, wherein a length of at least one conveyance path, of the plurality of replenishment developer conveyance paths, is different from that of other conveyance paths, and cohesion degree of a replenishment developer conveyed by the longest conveyance path, of the plurality of replenishment conveyance paths, is lower than cohesion degree of the replenishment developer conveyed by other conveyance paths. |
| US07664432B2 |
Imaging cartridge drive with an external ramp
Provided is an improved drive mechanism for an imaging machine. At least one external ramp is disposed along the outer perimeter of the drive dog whereby a tooth of the imaging machine drive mechanism is centered and directed into the drive dog seat. The leading edge of the drive dog seat contacts the base of the imaging machine drive mechanism thus making full contact between the drive dog seat and the imaging machine drive mechanism tooth. |
| US07664425B2 |
Image forming apparatus having power source circuit board arranged on side portion thereof
A high-voltage circuit board and a main circuit board are arranged on the outer side surface of a left frame, and a conveyance path is provided so as to downwardly incline from a feed position near the uppermost part of the outer peripheral surface of a paper feed roller, toward an image formation position. Thus, the height position of an image forming section within a body casing can be lowered. As a result, the height of a laser printer can be made lower. |
| US07664417B2 |
Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus including the same
A fixing apparatus and an image forming apparatus of the present invention are arranged so that a fixing control section causes a fixing roller to additionally rotate so that the additional rotation corresponds to a driving delay time also after turning OFF an external heating roller heater when shifting from a temperature raising step in which surface temperature of the fixing roller is raised so as to be equal to a preset fixing temperature to a standby mode and when turning OFF the external heating roller heater and stopping the fixing roller. As a result, it is possible to provide a fixing apparatus and an image forming apparatus in which a surface of a fixing roller is free from deterioration or breakage caused by local heating carried out by an external heating roller. |
| US07664409B2 |
Image forming device
A control device executes toner concentration control that controls an operation of a developing device such that a value of detection output detected by a concentration detecting device falls within a predetermined range. Moreover, when controlling drive of a first driving device, which drives at least an image carrier, and drive of a second driving device, which drives at least a fuser device, the control device executes operation control that starts the drive of the first driving device before the drive of the second driving device. |
| US07664408B2 |
Image-forming apparatus, control method thereof, and control program storing medium for image-forming apparatus
An image-forming apparatus in which a replacement part is loaded includes a discrimination unit that discriminates whether or not identification data registered in the loaded replacement part correspond to either inherent data or group data registered in the image-forming apparatus; a determination unit that, when no correspondence is found in the discrimination unit, determines in accordance with a registration condition whether or not a value of the identification data is registered as the group data; and an establishment unit that establishes approval or disapproval of use of the loaded replacement part on the basis of a result of discrimination performed in the discrimination unit or determination performed in the determination unit. |
| US07664406B2 |
Optical line terminal in a wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network
An OLT in a WDM-PON may include a main board and a sub board. The main board may include a master optical transmitting/receiving control/supervising section and the sub board may include a plurality of optical transceivers and a slave optical transmitting/receiving control/supervising section. The master optical transmitting/receiving control/supervising section may produce a data input signal and a data read-control signal for controlling the plurality of optical transceivers of the sub board. The slave optical transmitting/receiving control/supervising section may receive the data input signal and the data read-control signal, and read the data input signal in accordance with the read-control signal. The optical transceivers may be controlled based on the data input signal. |
| US07664405B2 |
Pluggable optical diplexer/triplexer module
The invention is directed to a pluggable module and mounting socket for use in an optical network terminal (ONT). In particular, the mounting socket accepts a pluggable module comprising either a dual-section triplexer card or a single-section diplexer card, thereby allowing a vendor to selectively change the type of PON transport by simply changing the diplexer/triplexer pluggable module to support either diplexer or triplexer applications. The ability to configure the ONT by swapping out the pluggable diplexer/triplexer module eliminates the need for a manufacturer to maintain two different versions of the ONT, i.e., with or without video. |
| US07664404B2 |
Modular system for an optical rear panel bus
The invention relates to a rear panel bus, with a number of plugs which may be plugged into the modules and a fibre optic cable, for guiding light signals, whereby the fibre optic cable has a number of interruptions in the propagation direction of the light signals, into which means, for injection and decoupling of light signals running in the fibre optic cable may be inserted. The interruptions in the fibre optic cable are arranged such that a plug may be allocated to an interruption. The invention further comprises a module which may be plugged into an optical rear panel bus and means for injection and decoupling of light signals running in an optical fibre cable whereby the means for injecting and decoupling are arranged such as to be able to be inserted in interruptions in the fibre optic cable, to decouple light signals from the fibre optic cable and to inject light signals into the fibre optic cable in the propagation direction. |
| US07664402B2 |
Information communication system for use in robot
An information communication system for use in a robot communicates a full-color light flux between a transmitting device and a receiving device separated from each other. The transmitting device receives a sensor signal to generate an optical information signal including a color signal based on a sensor identifying information and a brightness signal based on an output level of the sensor signal, and irradiates a light flux (an optical signal) enabling a user to recognize it through the optical information signal from a color LED. The receiving device is arranged away from the transmitting device, in which an analysis unit generates an identifying signal and an output level of a sensor on the basis of color information and brightness information extracted from an image processor from image data including the optical information signal imaged by an imaging unit. |
| US07664397B2 |
Optical network system
An optical network system enabling confirmation of connection and tracking of wavelength paths at a high speed and a low cost without introducing any special hardware by having a wavelength path monitoring unit in an NMS give temporary change of optical power through a change generating unit to an optical signal S from an optical transmitting/receiving node, by having a change detecting unit confirm that this change of optical power has propagated through an optical transmission line and appeared at each node on the way, and confirming connections and monitoring the wavelength path while confirming the presence of the change. |
| US07664396B2 |
1+1 protection method of services in OBS networks, intersection node apparatus and service protection system
A 1+1 protection method of service in optical burst switching (OBS) networks, an intersection node apparatus, and protection system of service are provided. The method discloses that burst packets bearing service are transferred through two risk-independent routes, and each burst packet corresponds to a control packet. The intersection node receives a first control packet transferred through either route with a sequence number, and then, when it continues to receive the second control packet, which is transferred through the other route with the same sequence number as the first control packet carries within the waiting time of the first control packet, the intersection node selects the burst packet corresponding to the control packet with a smaller quality loss field value of the first and second control packets. The present invention prevents the services from being cut down, and remarkably reduces the packet loss ratio of the service. |
| US07664390B2 |
Camera module package
A camera module package comprises a housing having a lens section mounted therein; a circuit board having a window through which light transmitted through the lens section of the housing passes; an image sensor that is flip-chip bonded to a lower surface of the circuit board; and an impact absorbing member attached to an upper surface of the circuit board, of which the side surface serves as a coupling guide which is coupled to an inner periphery of the housing. |
| US07664387B2 |
Exposure time selection in a transmission apparatus with a camera
A communications apparatus is shown having an imaging device for capturing an image, and a flash for lighting an image to be captured. Also shown is the use of the apparatus. Software for matching a flash performance to other functions of a device is also shown. A radio communications apparatus embodiment is shown that comprises an imaging device including an image sensor and a rolling shutter, and a flash unit. The flash unit is operated at a certain flash frequency, and an exposure time is determined according to the flash frequency so that the image sensor is uniformly exposed by the rolling shutter during the determined exposure time. |
| US07664383B2 |
Multiple frame photography
A device may determine whether a user input for capturing a view is triggered and automatically frame a plurality of images of the view when the user input is determined to be triggered by repeatedly determining a zoom value for an image, optically zooming the view based on the zoom value, and capturing the zoomed view as the image. |
| US07664378B2 |
Fan heater
A fan heater includes a heater body, an electric unit, a plurality of fan assemblies, and a heating element. Each of the fan assemblies is mounted with the adjacent fan assembly to form a fan unit within the receiving cavity, wherein the fan unit is operatively coupled with the electric unit for being driven to rotate by the electric unit. The heating element is mounted within the receiving cavity in a vicinity of the air outlet, and electrically connected with the electric unit for being heated up at an elevated temperature, wherein the fan assemblies are adapted to draw air flowing from an air inlet to an air outlet via the heating element, so as to heat up the air drawn by the fan unit, and deliver the heated air to a predetermined heating zone from the air outlet. |
| US07664376B2 |
Information signal processing apparatus and method, information signal processing system and method, and information signal playback apparatus and method
An information signal processing apparatus includes a data playback unit for playing back data from a recording medium on which featured data is recorded according to the setting of a first parameter series. An information file playback unit plays back the video/audio information files by selecting from the recording medium. A parameter setting unit selects one of the played back information files and sets parameter data corresponding to both the information file and the first or second parameter series. A playback period processing unit determines the playback period of the video/audio data recorded on the recording medium according to the featured data and either an initialization parameter data set in advance in accordance with the first and second parameter series, or the parameter data adjusted by the parameter setting unit. A playback control unit then performs playback control according to the signal from the playback period processing unit. |
| US07664375B2 |
Information signal edition apparatus, information signal edition method, and information edition program
In an information signal editing device, when a user specifies a desired reproduction section or reproduction start position, a management information file recorded in a memory is rewritten into a second management information file which is created on the basis of the specified information, and a second information file is set on the basis of the second management information file. The information signal editing device constructed as described performs arbitrary virtual editing when a DVD-RAM disk is non-rewritable, whereby the user can obtain a desired reproduction signal. |
| US07664369B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving the playability of a PAL or NTSC video signal containing color burst modifications
In the known color stripe process for preventing recording of video signals, the color burst present on each line of active video is modified so that any subsequent video tape recording of the video signal shows variations in the color fidelity that appear as undesirable bands or stripes of color error. This color stripe process is improved by a combination of modifying the phase of the color burst on only part of the color burst. Additional improvements were obtained by incorporating techniques of widening the normal color burst envelope towards the trailing edge of horizontal sync and towards the beginning of active video. These techniques are useful in improving the performance of the color stripe process in both the NTSC and PAL color systems. However, additional improvements are described in the PAL system whereby the phase modifications are controlled so as to avoid disturbing the so-called PAL ID pulse. Such avoidance of the PAL ID pulse improves the playability of the color stripe signal in the PAL format. |
| US07664368B2 |
Information recording/play-backing apparatus
It is possible to save power in an HDD/optical disc combination camera. During a normal recording operated by a battery, only the hard disk is operated and operation of the optical drive is stopped. Alternatively, only the optical drive is operated and the operation of the hard disk is stopped. During dubbing, both of the HDD and the optical drive are operated when performing play-back/display during the dubbing and a large current is consumed. Accordingly, the operation is permitted only by external power supply. In the case of dubbing not performing play-back/display, the battery remaining amount is checked and dubbing is permitted only if the amount is equal to or greater than a threshold value. |
| US07664367B2 |
Information processing device
A coder codes an information signal. A rate controller controls a coding rate of the coder in accordance with complexity of the information signal. The rate controller controls a coding amount per unit time in the coding process so that an average value of the coding amount can be approximate to an average rate. The coded data is temporarily memorized in a temporary memory unit and processed by an information processing unit such as a recorder and a transmitter. The information processing unit measures an information processing rate in processing the information. The rate controller adjusts the average rate so that the average rate is lower than the information processing rate measured by the information processing unit, or the rate controller compares a threshold value of a used amount of the temporary memory unit which is previously set and an actually used amount of the temporary memory unit and reduces the average rate when the used amount exceeds the threshold value. Thereby, the rate control can be properly executed while the coding amount in accordance with the complexity of the information signal is allocated. |
| US07664365B2 |
Beam homogenizer, and laser irradiation method, laser irradiation apparatus, and laser annealing method of non-single crystalline semiconductor film using the same
A rectangular beam having the energy density distribution homogenized in its short-side direction is formed in a beam homogenizer wherein two light reflection surfaces are parallel-provided in a beam progression optical waveguide with a predetermined space so as to face each other at surfaces along the beam progression direction and a course change reflection surface for changing the beam progression direction is formed at a surface in the direction intersected with the light reflection surfaces. The beam enters a cylindrical lens array and a cylindrical lens sequentially to homogenize the energy density distribution in its long-side direction. Then, the irradiation laser from the cylindrical lens is projected onto a non-single crystalline semiconductor film to perform annealing. |
| US07664361B2 |
Cable management panel with sliding drawer
An optical fiber cable management panel is provided with slideable drawers and structure within the drawers for cable management and/or connection to other devices. Tray inserts drop into the drawers to provide the appropriate management and connection devices. A movable take-up mechanism manages the cable entering and exiting the drawers at side openings. Stackable pivoting storage trays on the tray insert include a detent arrangement for holding each tray in a pivoted access position. The tray inserts further include a front key, and a back tab mounting arrangement for mounting the tray inserts to the drawers, and side radius limiters including notches for extending over raised portions of the drawer. The take-up mechanism includes a U-shaped trough section and cable retention tabs. A control mechanism is provided for controlling movement of the take-up mechanism relative to the drawer. |
| US07664355B2 |
All-optical gates using nonlinear elements-claim set III
An all-optical logic gates comprises a nonlinear element such as an optical resonator configured to receive optical input signals, at least one of which is amplitude-modulated to include data. The nonlinear element is configured in relation to the carrier frequency of the optical input signals to perform a logic operation based on the resonant frequency of the nonlinear element in relation to the carrier frequency. Based on the optical input signals, the nonlinear element generates an optical output signal having a binary logic level. A combining medium can be used to combine the optical input signals for discrimination by the nonlinear element to generate the optical output signal. Various embodiments include all-optical AND, NOT, NAND, NOR, OR, XOR, and XNOR gates and memory latch. |
| US07664354B2 |
System and method for loose tube tight buffer indoor/outdoor optical fiber cable
A fiber cable having at least one fiber optic element, a water swellable powder, disposed on the fiber optic element and a tube surrounding the fiber element and the water swellable powder. The fiber optic element is in a loose non-coupled arrangement with respect to the inside of the tube such that during installation, mechanical installation stresses applied to the cable and the tube are not imparted to the fiber optic element therein. |
| US07664352B1 |
Spot size converter
A spot size converter has a first core, a larger second core, and a clad disposed on a substrate. The first core has a rectilinear cross-sectional shape and is embedded in the clad, except at its ends. One of these ends has a sloping surface along which the thickness of the first core tapers gradually to zero. The second core, which has a refractive index intermediate between the refractive indexes of the first core and clad, sits on the clad and covers the sloping end surface of the first core. Light propagates through the first core, then through the second core into an external optical device, or propagates from an external optical device through the second core into the first core. This arrangement provides a spot size converter having an easily manufacturable structure and no polarization dependency. |
| US07664350B2 |
Compact optics for concentration, aggregation and illumination of light energy
A solar concentrator having a concentrator element for collecting input light, a redirecting component with a plurality of incremental steps for receiving the light and also for redirecting the light, and a waveguide including a plurality of incremental portions enabling collection and concentration of the light onto a receiver. Other systems replace the receiver by a light source so system optics can provide illumination. |
| US07664345B2 |
MEMS device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate
A microelectromechanical systems device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate having grooves formed therein. A lower electrode is deposited over the substrate and separated from an orthogonal upper electrode by a cavity. The upper electrode is configured to be movable to modulate light. A semi-reflective layer and a transparent material are formed over the movable upper electrode. |
| US07664338B2 |
Perspective transformation of two-dimensional images
One aspect of the disclosure is directed to an embedded device. The embedded device comprises an image of interest selecting mechanism and a transformation mechanism. The transformation mechanism applies perspective transformation functions to the image of interest such that the image of interest varies from a greater width at a foreground viewpoint of the image of interest to a lesser width toward a vanishing point of the image of interest and such that the image of interest varies from a greater amount of expansion and lesser amount of compression at the foreground viewpoint of the image of interest to a lesser amount of expansion and a greater amount of compression towards the vanishing point of the image of interest. |
| US07664336B2 |
Video noise reduction
A video clip is processed by selecting a plurality of video frames of the video clip. A plurality of the pixels of the selected video frames are modified to form modified video frames. The modification to each of the plurality of the pixels is based on the intensity of the pixel, a change in the intensity of the pixel from the corresponding pixel in at least one related video frame, and the intensity of the corresponding pixel. A second video clip is formed that comprises the modified video clips. |
| US07664334B2 |
Image encoder, image encoding method, recording medium and computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave
A processor performs layout analysis, and classifies pieces of bitmap data into a character area and a picture area. The processor divides each of the character area and the picture area into a plurality of tiles having a predetermined shape, thereby creating a table including information representing either character attribute or picture attribute in association with each tile number. The processor performs scalar quantization for data of each tile using a quantization coefficient for characters or pictures, based on the created table. The processor encodes the data of each tile using an SNR progressive technique or a resolution progressive technique, and performs post quantization for the data using a quantization parameter for characters or pictures. Then, the processor stores the encoded data into a storage device. |
| US07664329B2 |
Block-based Gaussian mixture model video motion detection
A method for the detection of motion in video data is disclosed. In an embodiment, a method uses a background technique for the motion detection. In another embodiment, a Gaussian Mixture Model is applied to a neighborhood or block of pixels within an image frame, thereby identifying background and foreground in the image based on said blocks. |
| US07664328B2 |
Joint classification and subtype discovery in tumor diagnosis by gene expression profiling
A program storage device is provided readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for classification of biological tissue by gene expression profiling. The method steps include providing a training set of gene expression profiles of known tissue samples, providing a first-layer strong classifier of the known tissue samples by combining weak classifiers using boosting, creating two sample sets based on the first classifier, populating the two sample sets with a next-layer of classifiers based on a previous-layer classifier, organizing the classifiers in a tree data structure, and outputting the tree data structure as a probabilistic boosting tree classifier for tissue sample classification and disease subtype discovery. A multi-class diagnosis problem is transformed to a two-class diagnosis process by finding an optimal feature and dividing the multi-class problem into two-classes. |
| US07664325B2 |
Framework for detecting a structured handwritten object
Computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions and apparatuses detect a structured handwritten object is detected in a handwritten document. A primitive structure, which is associated with a set of component objects, is formed. A candidate handwritten object is identified by detecting a corresponding logical structure. A classifier for the candidate handwritten object is determined. Consequently, the candidate handwritten object is validated from the classifier. |
| US07664323B2 |
Scalable hash-based character recognition
The subject invention leverages a scalable character glyph hash table to provide an efficient means to identify print characters where the character glyphs are identical over independent presentation. The hash table allows for quick determinations of glyph meta data as, for example, a pre-filter to traditional OCR techniques. The hash table can be trained for a particular environment, user, language, character set (e.g., alphabet), document type, and/or specific document and the like. This permits substantial flexibility and increases in speed in identifying unknown glyphs. The hash table itself can be composed of single or multiple tables that have a specific optimization purpose. In one instance of the subject invention, traditional OCR techniques can be utilized to update the hash tables as needed based on glyph frequency. This keeps the hash tables from growing by limiting updates that reduce its performance, while adding frequently determined glyphs to increase the pre-filter performance. |
| US07664320B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer product
When image data is determined to be reused, a first image-data processing unit performs a first image processing on the image data, a memory device accumulates the image data on which the first image processing is performed, and a second image-data processing unit performs second image processing on the image data accumulated in the memory device. When the image data is determined not to be reused, the first image-data processing unit performs a first image processing, and the second image-data processing unit performs a second image processing on the image data on which the first image processing is performed. |
| US07664315B2 |
Integrated image processor
An integrated image processor implemented on a substrate is disclosed. An input interface is configured to receive pixel data from two or more images. A pixel handling processor disposed on the substrate is configured to convert the pixel data into depth and intensity pixel data. In some embodiments, a foreground detector processor disposed on the substrate is configured to classify pixels as background or not background. In some embodiments, a projection generator disposed on the substrate is configured to generate a projection in space of the depth and intensity pixel data. |
| US07664314B2 |
Method for the analysis of correspondences in image data sets
Processing of image data relating to moving scenarios, especially for recognizing and tracking objects located therein, requires identifying corresponding pixels or image areas in the individual successive image data sets. Likewise, processing of stereo images requires identifying the data areas which correspond to each other in two images that are recorded substantially at the same time from different angles of vision. According to the novel method of analyzing correspondences in image data sets, the image data sets that are to be compared are transformed using a signature operator such that a signature string is calculated for each pixel and is stored in a signature table allocated to the individual image data sets along with the pixel coordinates in a first step. A correspondence hypothesis is then generated for the signature strings identified in both tables and is stored in a list of hypothesis is then generated for the signature strings identified in both tables and is stored in a list of hypotheses for further processing. The inventive method advantageously makes it possible to analyze correspondences in a very efficient manner regarding the computing time while allowing fast processing of image pairs even when individual objects are presented at very different points in the two data sets. |
| US07664311B2 |
Component mounting board inspecting apparatus
There is provided a component mounting inspecting apparatus which can automatically set a solder bridge inspection region (an inspection point) and output an optimum inspection result of a solder bridge. The component mounting board inspecting apparatus for inspecting a solder bridge of an electronic circuit board, in which a plurality of electrode pads are formed at predetermined spaced intervals and cream solder is applied on the electrode pads, includes a mechanism for automatically determining a distance between adjacent electrode pads and a mechanism for automatically setting a solder bridge inspection point if the distance between the adjacent electrode pads is equal to or shorter than a threshold value. |
| US07664308B2 |
Photomask inspection apparatus comparing optical proximity correction patterns to minimum and maximum limits
A pattern inspection apparatus includes an optical image acquiring unit that acquires optical image data of a target plate formed as a pattern. The pattern inspection apparatus also includes a design image data generating unit that generates first design image data based on a first design pattern serving as a base of pattern formation of the target plate. The pattern inspection apparatus additionally includes a comparing unit that compares the optical image data and the first design image data with each other. Further, information of a second design pattern is input in parallel with information of the first design pattern to the pattern inspection apparatus. In the comparing unit, second design image data generated based on the second design pattern is further input, and the optical image data is compared with the second design image data in place of the first design image data. |
| US07664307B2 |
Photomask manufacturing support system
A drawing data inputting/interpreting section of a data processing device reads in hierarchical structured drawing data from a first memory device and stores interpreted drawing data information extracted as graphic information in a second memory device. A data analysis section reads in the interpreted drawing data information, analyzes information necessary for a drawing step, and stores the same as drawing analysis results in the second memory device. In addition, a data conversion section reads in the interpreted drawing data information, and after a format conversion to inspection data, stores the converted inspection data in the second memory device. Thereby, a drawing data analysis step and an inspecting data conversion step can be carried out in parallel. |
| US07664306B2 |
Visual inspection method and visual inspection apparatus
In a visual inspection method and apparatus, a picture processing unit converts an original picture, obtained by taking a photograph of a BGA illuminated by a ring illuminator from above, by using a camera, and labels a binary picture obtained by this binary conversion. Then, it forms a circumscribing rectangle circumscribing an outer circumference of a labeling picture obtained by the labeling, and inverts a labeling picture within the formed rectangle, and removes a portion of a region formed by the outer circumference and the circumscribing rectangle in a picture obtained by the inversion, and then generates an inspection picture by adding a picture obtained by the removal to the labeling picture, and accordingly judges a pass or rejection of the inspection target sample based on the generated inspection picture. Thus, the inspection can be carried out at a high accuracy irrespectively of a low cost. |
| US07664304B2 |
Systems and methods for assessing documents using analysis of machine-printed writing and pre-printed information
Methods and systems are provided for analyzing and assessing documents using a profile for documents, such as a payment instrument. In one embodiment, the profile may include variable machine-printed writing. In other embodiments, the profile may include pre-printed information. A method may include providing a document to a computer system. In one embodiment, profile representations may be determined for information fields of the document. The determination may use variable machine-printed writing and/or pre-printed information from at least one of the information fields of the documents. In one embodiment, the method may further include comparing machine-printed writing and/or pre-printed information in information fields of the document to at least profile representation from at least one information field of at least one other document. In some embodiments, the method may include assessing fraud in the document using at least one of the comparisons. |
| US07664298B2 |
Methods for the compensation of imaging technique in the processing of radiographic images
The present invention relates to methods and devices for analyzing x-ray images. In particular, devices, methods and algorithms are provided that allow for the accurate and reliable evaluation of bone structure and macro-anatomical parameters from x-ray images. |
| US07664293B2 |
Image sensing apparatus and control method thereof
An image sensing apparatus includes a selector, an image sensing unit, a memory unit, an image combining unit and a recording unit. The selector is used to select a main object. The image sensing unit senses a plurality of images including the main object. The memory unit stores the plurality of images. The image combining unit combines the plurality of images stored in the memory unit to generate a combined image in which the main object appears to be stopped and an object other than the main object appears to be flowing. The recording unit compresses the combined image and records the compressed combined image on a recording medium. |
| US07664290B2 |
Image processor, image processing method, and storage medium storing program for the combining of coded images into print images
An image processor for combining a computer-readable coded image into a print image of a document including a document data main body and at least one associated data piece, has a print image generator that generates a print image of a document including an image of at least a part of the associated data, a coded image generator that generates a coded image to be combined into the print image, and a controller that determines whether or not the generated coded image can be combined into the image portion of the associated data by comparing a size of the generated coded image with a size of an image portion of the associated data, and combines the generated coded image into the image portion of the associated data on the generated print image, if it is determined that combining is possible. |
| US07664286B2 |
Capacitor microphone
A capacitor microphone in which a microphone case is made of a conductive material, has a microphone case connector connecting a cable connector at one end of a microphone cable to an internal circuit of a microphone, and is in electrical connection with the cable connector, and in which a conductive and elastic plate-like member is provided at a bottom of the microphone case connector, and is wedged by the cable connector and the microphone case connector. The cable connector and the microphone case connector being electrically connected via the conductive and elastic plate-like member. |
| US07664284B2 |
Microphone array in housing
An electronic device includes a circuit board, a first microphone module, and a second microphone module. The first microphone module includes a first omnidirectional microphone connected to the circuit board, a first boot also connected to the circuit board, and a first tube extending from the first boot. The second microphone module includes a second omnidirectional microphone connected to the circuit board, a second boot also connected to the circuit board, and a second tube extending from the second boot. The first and second omnidirectional microphones are identical, and the first and second boots are identical. |
| US07664276B2 |
Multipass parametric or graphic EQ fitting
Multiple passes are executed in the setup of an equalizer, and modification of the equalization is performed after each pass of an analysis phase. After an initial pass, the equalization is adjusted, based upon the location of peaks and valleys in the system response. This initial adjustment of equalization may tend to flatten most of the peaks and valleys to produce the desired uniform linear response. Inexact application of equalization corrections may introduce other artifacts into the system response and/or may not sufficiently normalize equalization. A second pass is then performed to measure the system response using the new equalization settings. The new peaks and valleys are measured, and the equalization adjusted to try to flatten response further. A proximity range may be applied to each pass, to reduce the likelihood that adjustment of one equalizer coefficient will create artifacts in the resulting system response. |
| US07664274B1 |
Enhanced acoustic transmission system and method
A system to generate an enhanced acoustic transmission signal includes a carrier signal generator to generate a carrier signal. A data signal generator is provided to receive data and to generate a data signal representing the data. A signal modulator is also provided to modulate the carrier signal with the data signal to form a modulated carrier signal at a carrier frequency. The system includes a masking signal generator to generate a masking signal to mask the modulated carrier signal from being audible by a human ear. An audio input device is provided to receive audio and to generate an audio signal based on the audio, wherein a frequency band surrounding the carrier frequency is removed from the audio signal. A signal adder is also provided to combine the modulated carrier signal, the masking signal, and the audio signal to form the enhanced acoustic transmission signal. |
| US07664272B2 |
Sound image control device and design tool therefor
A sound image control device filters transfer functions H3 and H1 indicating transfer characteristics of a sound from an acoustic transducer (8) to entrances to respective ear canals (1) and (2) as well as filtering transfer functions H4 and H2 from an acoustic transducer (9) to the entrances to the respective ear canals (1) and (2) and generates second transfer functions H6 and H5 indicating transfer characteristics of a sound to the entrances to the respective ear canals (1) and (2) from a target sound source (11) at a location different from the sound sources, the sound image control device being equipped with correction filters (13) and (14) that (i) store characteristic functions E1 and E2 for performing filtering operations on the first transfer functions H1, H2, H3, and H4 and (ii) generate the second transfer functions H5 and H6 from the first transfer functions H1, H2, H3, and H4 using such characteristic functions E1 and E2. |
| US07664270B2 |
3D audio signal processing system using rigid sphere and method thereof
Provided are a three-dimensional audio signal processing system using a rigid sphere and a method thereof. The three-dimensional audio signal processing system of the present research simplifies the shape of a human head into a rigid sphere, acquires three-dimensional audio signals by setting up mikes on the rigid sphere, and applies the acquire three-dimensional audio signals to diverse existing reproduction systems. The system includes a three-dimensional audio signal acquiring unit for acquiring audio signals by using a predetermined number of mikes set up on the rigid sphere; and a three-dimensional audio signal post-processing unit for converting the acquired audio signals to reproduce in diverse reproduction environments such as five-channel, four-channel, headphone, stereo, and stereo dipole reproduction environments. |
| US07664269B2 |
Encrypting message for secure transmission
A system, apparatus, and method are provided for enhancing entropy in a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) using remote sources. According to one embodiment of the present invention, first, the PRNG's internal state is initialized. Local seeding information is then obtained from a local host. For added security, additional seeding information is obtained from one or more remote entropy servers operating independently to each maintain a constantly updated state pool. Finally, the PRNG is stirred based upon the local seeding information, and the additional seeding information. |
| US07664267B2 |
Bit based arithmetic coding using variable size key cipher
An encryption device and method and decryption device and method which implement a bit-based encryption scheme and hardware design. The encryption device includes a random number generator, receiving a main key, determining a working key using at least one random number and outputting a working key, a model, receiving the main key, the working key and plain text to be encoded and generating at least two frequency counts. The encryption device further includes an encoder, which outputs encoded text based on the working key, the plain text and the at least two frequency counts. The encryption device and method and decryption device and method process encrypted text that is based upon a stream structure with an unlimited key length and may be compressed by 50%. The encoded text is changeable with different environments even for the same plain text and the same key. Operations of the hardware design are based on arithmetic additions and shifts, and not multiplications and divisions. As a result, the hardware design is simple and applicable to cryptography and e-commerce. |
| US07664263B2 |
Method for combining transfer functions with predetermined key creation
A method for combining transfer functions with predetermined key creation. In one embodiment, digital information, including a digital sample and format information, is protected by identifying and encoding a portion of the format information. Encoded digital information, including the digital sample and the encoded format information, is generated to protect the original digital information. In another embodiment, a digital signal, including digital samples in a file format having an inherent granularity, is protected by creating a predetermined key. The predetermined key is comprised of a transfer function-based mask set to manipulate data at the inherent granularity of the file format of the underlying digitized samples. |
| US07664261B2 |
Encryption processor
One chip encryption processor is disclosed, in which a password process unit for processing a data encryption and an interface for managing a password needed for an encryption are integrated into one chip. The encryption processor includes an encryption interface for connecting an externally connected apparatus and an internal data process apparatus, a password process unit for encrypting the inputted data, a memory unit for temporarily storing the data. The above elements are integrated into one chip, so that a desired data security, non-error operation and stable user verification are obtained. |
| US07664255B2 |
Hands free aural device holder
Disclosed is a hands-free holder for hands-free use of a device that is designed to be held up to a user's ear. The holder is connectable to the device and includes a sleeve that includes a transparent elastically stretchable material that defines an opening for receiving a portion of the device. The holder further includes a curved member that includes a first end and second end rotatably coupled to a first side of the sleeve and to an opposite side of the sleeve, respectively. The curved member defines an opening for receiving the top of a user's ear and is configured to rest on and behind the user's ear when the top of the user's ear is received in the opening such that the device connected to the holder is supported by the user's ear, thereby allowing hands-free use of the device. |
| US07664253B2 |
Main terminal and a method of operating the same
A main terminal and a method of operating the same. In this method of operating the main terminal, the main terminal is connected to a telephone network so as to communicate with the telephone network, and selectively connects an external terminal to the telephone network. To perform the method, first, if it is requested that the telephone network be disconnected from the external terminal and instead be connected to the main terminal, an internal current to flow into the main terminal is obtained from a loop voltage generated when the external terminal is in connection with the telephone network. Next, the internal current is applied to the main terminal. Thereafter, the telephone network is disconnected from the external terminal and instead connected to the main terminal. While the internal current is flowing in the main terminal, the main terminal maintains the loop voltage generated when the external terminal is in connection with the telephone network. Accordingly, the telephone network can be disconnected from an external terminal and instead be connected to the main terminal without generating an interrupt. Thus, an exchanger included in the telephone network can be prevented from malfunctioning due to the generation of the interrupt. |
| US07664252B1 |
Method and apparatus for sending alerts to internet protocol phones
The present invention enables an alert message and the display of calling party identity on all on-hook phones associated with an extension sharing the same phone number, when one phone is off-hook and in use. In one exemplary embodiment, this capability enables all other members of a household to receive information regarding an incoming call even when one phone is in use by another member. |
| US07664250B1 |
System and method for incoming telephone call distribution among inbound links of service platforms
A method for distributing incoming telephone calls among inbound links of a service platform is provided. First information is accumulated regarding routing of the incoming telephone calls during a previous time period to the inbound links of the service platform by a network call processor. Second information including a number of the inbound links of the service platform allocated to the network call processor for a future time period is generated based on the first information. A number of the incoming telephone calls are routed to the inbound links of the service platform during the future time period based on the second information. |
| US07664248B2 |
Call forwarding to voice mail systems based on redirecting number
A method and system is presented to route calls to a voicemail system. The method includes receiving a call from an originating device at a first redirecting device and forwarding the call from the first redirecting device to a second redirecting device. The forwarded call has an associated data message that includes a calling number of the originating device and the first redirecting number of the first redirecting device. The method also includes forwarding the call from the second redirecting device to a destination voice mailbox. The destination voice mailbox is selected based on an evaluation of the first redirecting number and the second redirecting number. |
| US07664241B1 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring blocked calls in a communication network
Method and apparatus for monitoring a communication network is described. In one example, call detail record data generated by network elements in the communication network is parsed to identify occurrence of a plurality of blocked calls over a time period. A plurality of consolidated call detail records for the plurality of blocked calls are respectively generated from the call detail record data. Each of the plurality of consolidated call detail records includes an originating telephone number. The originating telephone number of each of the plurality of consolidated call detail records is then processed to identify unique originating telephone numbers for the plurality of blocked calls. |
| US07664239B2 |
Methods and computer-readable media for managing and configuring options for the real-time notification and disposition of voice services in a cable services network
Methods are provided for managing and configuring voice services the notification and disposition of voice services, such as telephone calls, in a cable television services system. In response to receiving a notification of an incoming voice service in the cable television services system, a voice services banner is generated for displaying options for managing the incoming voice service. Options for managing the incoming voice service are selected from the voice services banner. An on-screen user interface is generated for configuring voice services options on a display device in communication with a set-top box. The user interface receives selections for configuring the voice services options. In response to receiving a selection, a determination is made whether to display a menu for configuring the voice services options based on a subscriber profile. If it is determined that the configuration of voice services is authorized, then the menu is displayed for configuring the voice services options. |
| US07664238B2 |
Method of transmitting one text message to many receivers
A method of transmitting one text message to a plurality of receivers is disclosed. The method includes inputting numbers of the receivers and a text message to be transmitted, determining a type of a transmission speed of the inputted text message, and transmitting the inputted text message of the determined type to numbers of the respective receivers. If the text message transmission succeeds, the method further includes confirming whether any further receivers of the text message exist and, if so, inputting new numbers of the further receivers and re-transmitting the corresponding text message to the new numbers of the further receivers. In inputting the phone numbers of the receivers, the sender can transmit the text message more rapidly and conveniently using the phonebook function and one-touch dial function. |
| US07664235B2 |
Method and apparatus for voice mail notes
A novel method and apparatus for recording an audio note for a voice message stored on a messaging platform are disclosed. |
| US07664233B1 |
Emergency and non-emergency telecommunications notification system
Methods and systems for providing electronic notifications are described. A server is configured to serve an interface, such as a Web page, to a terminal that requests from a user a first set of user contacts to be used to provide notifications to the user by a telephonic notification system in response to a notification process initiated by an organization associated with the user. The interface further requests a first set of priorities corresponding to the first set of user contacts, wherein the notification system will attempt to provide notifications to the first set user contracts in an order based at least in part on the first set of priorities. A database is configured to store the first set of user contacts and the first set of priorities. A voice interface circuit is configured to transmit a voice notification to at least one of the first set of user contacts. |
| US07664230B2 |
X-ray tubes
The present invention is directed to an X-ray tube that has an electron source in the form of a cathode and an anode within a housing. The anode is a thin film anode, so that most of the electrons which do not interact with it to produce X-rays pass directly through it. A retardation electrode is located behind the anode and is held at a potential which is negative with respect to the anode and slightly positive with respect to the cathode. |
| US07664229B2 |
X-ray tube and x-ray source including same
The present invention relates to an X-ray tube, having a structure enabling capturing of a clear magnified transmission image and enabling increase of a magnification factor of the magnified transmission image, and an X-ray source including the X-ray tube. In the X-ray tube, X-rays are generated by making electrons from an electron gun incident onto an X-ray target of an anode, disposed inside an anode housing unit, and the generated X-rays are taken out from an X-ray emission window. In particular, the anode housing unit has a pair of conductive flat portions disposed parallel to a reference plane, orthogonal to an electron incidence surface of the X-ray target, and so as to sandwich the X-ray target. The reference plane contains a first reference line, joining an electron emission exit center of the electron gun and an electron incidence surface center of the X-ray target, and a second reference line, being a straight line intersecting the first reference line on the electron incidence surface of the X-ray target and joining the electron incidence surface center and an X-ray emission window center. |
| US07664224B2 |
X-ray fluorescence visualizing, imaging, or information providing of chemicals, compounds, or biological materials
One aspect can relate to detecting a presence of an at least one chemical, compound, or biological material contained in an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual based at least partially on addition of an at least one chemical identifying additive to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual based at least partially on a generation of an at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon within the at least one chemical identifying additive responsive to a single input energy event in which an at least some input energy is being applied proximal to the at least one chemical, compound, or biological material contained in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual. |
| US07664220B2 |
Visual device, interlocking counter, and image sensor
An interlocked counter including a synchronous counter, a logic gate for judging end-value, a logic gate for amplifying an interlocking signal, at least one latch circuit for the interlocking signal, a logic gate for the interlocking signal, and a logic gate for an enable signal, wherein behavior of the synchronous counter is stopped when a count number arrived at an end value, by that the synchronous counter counts a number of pulses of a clock signal when the synchronous counter inputted an enable signal, the logic gate for judging end-value generates an interlocking signal when the count number outputted by a synchronous counter coincided with the end value, the logic gate for amplifying interlocking signal amplifies the interlocking signal in order to output to an external part, and the logic gate for enable signal generates the enable signal when the interlocking signal is not generated. |
| US07664219B2 |
Flip-flop and shift register
A flip-flop is provided. The flip-flop is used in a shift register in a source driver. The flip-flop is used to receive a first clock signal, an input signal and output an output signal. The output signal is fed back to the flip-flop. The flip-flop includes a flop core for receiving the input signal and output the output signal. When the input signal and the output signal are all disabled, the flop core is disabled to function. When the input signal or the output signal is enabled, the flop core is enabled to function to output the output signal. |
| US07664218B2 |
Shift register and image display apparatus containing the same
A shift register includes a first transistor supplying an output terminal with a clock signal input to a first clock terminal and a second transistor discharging the output terminal. Defining the gate node of the first transistor as a first node, and the gate node of the second transistor as a second node, the shift register includes an inverter circuit in which the first node serves as its input node and a capacitive element serves as a load, and a buffer circuit receiving the output from the inverter circuit and outputting a signal to the second node. |
| US07664216B2 |
Digital frequency locked delay line
A device includes a signal generator having a delay locked circuit for providing a of output signals based on an input signal. The output signals have a fixed signal relationship with each other and with the input signal. The signal generator also includes a selector for selecting an enable signal from a range of signals formed by the output signals. The device further includes a transceiver circuit in which the transceiver circuit uses the enable signal for data processing. |
| US07664215B2 |
Signal alignment based on data signal
Alignment of a receiver clock signal with a transmitter clock signal based upon a received data signal is disclosed. Some embodiments generate, based upon of phase bits and valid phase bits, a phase signal having a voltage level selected from at least three voltage levels. One voltage level corresponds to shifting the receiver clock signal in a first direction. Another voltage level corresponds to shifting the receiver clock signal in a second direction. The other voltage level corresponds to repeating a previous shift of the receiver clock signal. |
| US07664214B2 |
System and method for transferring data among transceivers substantially void of data dependent jitter
A communication system, clock generation circuit, and method are provided for receiving jitter upon data and to generate a clock reference that does not contain the received jitter. The clock reference can be used either by a digital subsystem of a communication system node, or can be transmitted as substantially jitter-free data from that node to a downstream node of the communication system. Instead of recovering the clock reference from the data having jitter, a pattern is regularly defined within the data stream preferably at periodic, timed intervals. The data pattern may be made up of a series of non-transitions which, regardless of any jitter in the data itself, does not impute any jitter onto a phase-locked loop triggered from an edge of the non-transitioning data pattern. Using the edge as a reference point, a jitter-free clocking signal can be derived at the same frequency as a clocking signal which would normally be produced from the jitter-induced data. |
| US07664211B2 |
Automatic gain control with out of band blocking signal compensation
One embodiment of the present subject matter includes a method of receiving an input signal. The method, in various embodiments, includes detecting a peak of the input signal and detecting an envelope of the input signal. In various embodiments, the peak and envelope are used to identify out-of-band blocking signals and to adjust gain control. The method also includes comparing the peak to a first threshold Tp and comparing the envelope to a second threshold Te. In the method, if the peak is above the first threshold and the envelope is below the second threshold, then ignoring the input signal. If the envelope is above the second threshold, the method includes applying automatic gain control to decode information encoded in the input signal. |
| US07664210B2 |
Non-coherent synchronous direct-conversion receiving apparatus for compensating frequency offset
A non-coherent synchronous direct-conversion receiving apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a RF receiving unit, an I/Q ADC unit, and a digital signal processing unit for analyzing the digital signal received from the I/Q ADC unit to adjust a bandwidth of a variable receiving filtering unit according to the analyzing result, compensating a frequency offset to be correspondent with a symbol transmitting rate by extracting frequency offset information from the digital signal, compensating a frequency offset using the analyzing result, and applying a voltage corresponding to a sum of compensating values to the RF receiving unit. Therefore, the apparatus can compensate a frequency offset regardless of the magnitude of a frequency offset and performs a stable AFC operation through varying the bandwidth of a receiving filter by estimating the frequency offset with only data information, and adjusting a reference frequency twice through an interface signal. |
| US07664209B2 |
Method and apparatus for coordinating transmission of short messages with hard handoff searches in a wireless communications system
A method and apparatus for coordinating the time at which a mobile station performs searches for alternative systems to which a hard handoff will occur. The mobile station receives a command which instructs the mobile station as to when to tune to alternative frequencies in order to search for indicates of the presence of an alternative system. In another system which includes the present invention, predetermined times are defined with respect to a reference point in time that is common to both the origination base station and a mobile station. The mobile station tunes to alternative frequencies to perform searches only during these predetermined times. In addition, the mobile station coordinates the transmission of reports, which indicate the results of searches for alternative systems such that these reports are only transmitted from the mobile station when the mobile station is tuned to the origination frequency. |
| US07664202B2 |
Transmission device and wireless communication apparatus
In a first mode in which the power level of a transmission output signal (S6) is to be high, an output from the multiplier (2) is input to an amplitude modulation signal amplifier (4), and a radio frequency power amplifier (5) performs amplitude modulation on a radio frequency phase modulated signal (S4) using a nonlinear area with a supply voltage from the amplitude modulation signal amplifier (4). In a second mode in which the power level of a transmission output signal (S6) is to be low, the output from the multiplier (2) is input to a variable gain amplifier (7), and the variable gain amplifier (7) performs amplitude modulation on the radio frequency phase modulated signal (S4). The amplitude modulated signal is output without passing through the radio frequency power amplifier (5). |
| US07664201B2 |
Digital automatic gain control
An automatic gain control system prevents input overload by precisely controlling the input level of a received, digitally modulated signal without variable gain amplification. Limiting amplification in conjunction with a logarithmic detection splits an input signal path in two, providing separate phase and amplitude information for downstream digital signal processing, where the separate phase and amplitude information is processed without variable gain artifacts. The separated phase information may further be divided into I and Q signals. |
| US07664195B2 |
Method to increase the bit rate in a communication system
Disclosed is a method and a device to increase the bit rate in a communications system comprising N transmitters (2N) and M receivers (3M), with M greater than or equal to N. The method comprises the following steps. a) simultaneously sending different messages on several of the N (2N) transmitters, b) simultaneously receiving the superimposition of the messages sent during the step a) on several of the M (3M) receivers or reception sensors, c) estimating the characteristics of the transmission channel for each pair constituted by a transmission sensor and a receiver sensor, d) jointly estimating all or at least the majority of the messages received in taking account of the signals as well as the characteristics of the transmission channel. Application to GSM signals and to systems of unicast transmission and multicast transmission, namely multipoint-to-point and multipoint-to-multipoint transmission. |
| US07664186B2 |
Channel decoding for multicarrier signal transmission by means of DC-offset and carrier-frequency offset-dependent weighting of reliability information
The influence of a DC offset with a carrier-frequency offset at the same time is reduced in that the values of the assumed or determined DC offset and of the assumed or determined carrier-frequency offset are included in the determination of reliability information for one sub-carrier in the multicarrier system, and the reliability information is corrected in this way. A factor M, where M<1, is defined for each sub-carrier on the basis of the values for the DC offset and for the carrier-frequency offset, and the reliability information for the sub-carriers is multiplied by these factors M. |
| US07664183B2 |
Correlation processing among multiple analyzers of video streams at stages of a pipeline architecture
A pipeline architecture for analyzing multiple streams of video is embodied, in part, in a layer of application program interfaces (APIs) to each stage of processing. Buffer queuing is used between some stages, which helps moderate the load on the CPU(s). Through the layer of APIs, innumerable video analysis applications can access and analyze video data flowing through the pipeline, and can annotate portions of the video data (e.g., frames and groups of frames), based on the analysis performed, with information that describes the frame or group. These annotated frames and groups flow through the pipeline to subsequent stages of processing, at which increasingly complex analysis can be performed. At each stage, portions of the video data that are of little or no interest are removed from the video data. Ultimately, “events” are constructed and stored in a database, from which cross-event and historical analysis may be performed and associations with, and among, events may be made. |
| US07664177B2 |
Intra-coded fields for bi-directional frames
An encoder/decoder uses intra-coded B-fields [“BI-fields”]. For example, rather than encoding many of the macroblocks in a field as intra macroblocks at a scene change, an encoder can choose to encode the entire field as intra. Encoding an entire field as a BI-field allows increased coding efficiency through reduced coding overhead at macroblock level, and without intra-frame dependency, the BI-field can still be dropped if appropriate in low-bitrate applications. |
| US07664176B2 |
Method and system for entropy decoding for scalable video bit stream
A method, program product and apparatus for decoding from a scalable bit stream the binarization results of a video sequence by selectively decoding syntax elements and avoiding redundancy in coding. The result is a decrease in the size of the compressed bit stream of an enhancement layer bit stream. It has been demonstrated that the compression efficiency equals that of a single, non-scalable video stream for some video sequences. These features may be achieved by determining whether a skipping flag in the base layer macro block of the video data is set, and decoding a skipping flag from an enhancement layer macro block of the video data, corresponding to the base layer macro block, only if the base layer macro block skipping flag is set. |
| US07664174B2 |
Diagnostic device, system and method for reduced data transmission
A device, system and method may enable the obtaining of in vivo images from within body lumens or cavities, such as images the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, where the data such as image data is typically transmitted or otherwise sent to a receiving system in compressed or diluted form. The image may be reconstructed and for example displayed to a user. |
| US07664171B2 |
Uplink burst equalizing method in broad wide access system
A method for uplink burst equalization in broad wide access system, using the form of combining pre-training and burst equalization, that is, before transmitting user data, training the equalizer, then starting transmitting user data, in which, the equalizer uses decision user data as reference to track the changed wireless channel; if the change of channel exceeds the tracking region of equalizer, for example, the error rate exceeds threshold 1 but doesn't exceed threshold 2, the burst equalization will be performed; if the channel change exceeds the equalization region of equalizer, for example, the error rate exceeds threshold 2, the training will be performed again. By using the form of combining pre-training and burst equalization, setting different thresholds for handoff, the present invention greatly prolongs the intervals of subsequent pre-training process, thereby reducing the times of pre-training and increasing the effective bandwidth; By introducing burst equalization process, the present invention also decreases the requirement of system on operation occasion (for example, the static channel or the interval of bursts should be short), thereby increasing the application occasions of product. |
| US07664167B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing modem sample rates on a digital audio interface within a direct access arrangement circuit
An apparatus for managing modem sample rates within a direct access arrangement (DAA) circuit is disclosed. The DAA circuit includes a serial audio interface for providing communications between the DAA circuit and a host computer system. The serial audio interface is capable of operating under multiple serial communication interface standards, such as the AC '97 standard and the HD Audio standard. The DAA circuit also includes means for configuring the serial audio interface to transmit and receive modem samples at an audio sample rate higher than a modem sample rate of modem samples and at a predetermined bit size that is wider than a bit size of the modem samples, such that one bit of each of the modem samples is utilized to indicate the validity of each associated modem samples. |
| US07664163B2 |
Receiver
With the objective of enhancing receiving performance of a receiver with respect to pulse signals spread by spread codes, the receiver comprises an RF front-end section which performs amplification, an AD converter section which AD-converts signals outputted from the RF front-end section, a baseband section which inversely spreads the output of the AD converter section and performs signal detection and demodulation thereon, a reception environment measuring section which measures reception environment using the input signals of the baseband section, and a parameter setting section which sets parameters for respective parts on the basis of signals outputted from the reception environment measuring section. The parameter setting section sets the parameters for the respective parts to the optimum according to the environmental condition measured by the reception environment measuring section. |
| US07664162B1 |
High-frequency wireless peripheral device with auto-connection and auto-synchronization
Automatic establishment of a connection between a human interface device and a host transceiver unit. A marriage ID is exchanged in a synchronization step. The marriage ID being used by both the host transceiver and the human interface device to calculate a spread spectrum modulation pattern. In one embodiment the spread spectrum modulation is a frequency hopping spread spectrum modulation. |
| US07664157B2 |
Tunable laser
A tunable laser has a multiple ring resonator comprising a plurality of ring resonators having respective ring-shaped waveguides and respective different optical path lengths, an input/output side optical waveguide coupled to the multiple ring resonator, an optical input/output device such as a laser diode coupled to the input/output side optical waveguide, a reflection side optical waveguide coupled to the multiple ring resonator, an optical reflector coupled to the reflection side optical waveguide for removing light at an unwanted wavelength and reflecting light at a required wavelength, and a wavelength varying mechanism for changing the resonant wavelength of the multiple ring resonator. |
| US07664156B2 |
Wavelength tunable laser
A wavelength tunable laser comprises a multiple ring resonator, an input/output side waveguide coupled to a ring resonator, a reflection side waveguide coupled to a ring resonator, a multiple ring resonator, a PLC substrate where the input/output side waveguide and the reflection side waveguide are formed, a high reflection film set on the reflection side waveguide, a SOA connected to the input/output side waveguide through a anti-reflection film, a film heater which is placed above a ring waveguide for wavelength tuning in the PLC substrate and provides heat to the ring waveguide for wavelength tuning, and a adiabatic groove, which restrain conducting heat provided by the film heater to the PLC substrate except the ring waveguide for wavelength tuning. |
| US07664152B2 |
Semiconductor laser device
A semiconductor laser device has a front surface electrode formed by Au plating, a rear surface electrode formed by Au plating, an anti-adhesive film on the front surface electrode or the rear surface electrode and made of a material that does not react with Au, and a coating film that covers an end face on a light emitting side and an end face opposite the light emitting side. The anti-adhesive films may be located at least at the four corners of the front or rear surface electrode. |
| US07664149B2 |
Auto-stabilization of lasers by means of resonant structures
Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided that utilize a material inserted into a laser cavity such that the material has an optical length that varies as the laser cavity varies to keep the repetition rate constant. The material may provide auto-stabilization of the optical output form the laser cavity. |
| US07664146B1 |
Dynamic alignment for data on a parallel bus
An alignment circuit comprises a plurality of inputs that receive corresponding data signals, wherein each of the corresponding data signals includes a training pattern. A plurality of delay lines correspond to each of the plurality of inputs, receive the corresponding data signals, receive a plurality of corresponding delay signals, and delay each of the data signals according to the corresponding delay signals. A controller receives the corresponding data signals and generates the plurality of corresponding delay signals based on the training patterns of respective ones of the data signals. |
| US07664145B2 |
Jitter correcting apparatus capable of ensuring synchronism between transmitter apparatus and receiver apparatus
When a beacon (n−1) that is transmitted from a piconet coordinator (PNC) is detected in a MAC layer of the PNC and a MAC layer of a device (DEV), a detection signal is immediately transmitted to a LINK layer. In the LINK layer, a count is made from the detection of the beacon to a predetermined timing to generate a cycle timer. The PNC adds the PNC cycle timer to the subsequent beacon (n) and transmits the beacon to the DEV. In the LINK layer of the DEV, a comparison is made between a DEV cycle timer generated according to the beacon (n−1) and the PNC cycle timer received from the PNC and uses the value of the difference therebetween to correct the DEV cycle timer to be matched with the PNC cycle timer. |
| US07664143B2 |
Communications system using adaptive baseband injected pilot carrier symbols and related method
A system, method and apparatus includes a transmitter that has an encoder and baseband modulator that encodes and modulates a sequence of payload data symbols as a signal constellation to be communicated. An amble generator and baseband modulator generates amble symbols as a known sequence of M symbol times in length every N symbol times. A multiplexer multiplexes the data and amble symbols together to form a communications signal that is transmitted over a communications channel. |
| US07664139B2 |
Method and apparatus for using stuffing bytes over a G.709 signal to carry multiple streams
Methods and apparatus for allowing containers in an optical transport network to be shared between users are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a first network element that is a part of an optical transport network includes a frame generator and an output arrangement. The frame generator creates a frame with a fixed stuff area that includes a first set of bits that provide channel identification information, a second set of bits that provide justification information, and a third set of bits that indicate either or both payload type information and client signal fail information. The output arrangement places the frame within a container for transport through the optical transport network. The bandwidth of the container is arranged to be utilized by a plurality of network elements including the first network element. |
| US07664138B2 |
Multiple channel system for a twisted pair telephone wire local loop system
The system (50) has a subscriber digital filter system (54)connected to the twisted pair telephone wire (56). A subscriber controller (52) sends control signals to the subscriber digital filter system (54). An office digital filter system (58) is connected to the twisted pair telephone wire (56). An office controller (60) sends control signals to the office digital filter system (58). |
| US07664137B1 |
System and method for improved use of voice activity detection
The present invention is a system and method for packetizing actual noise signals, typically background noise, received by an access gateway from a speaking party and transmitting these packetized noise signals via a network to an egress gateway. The egress gateway converts the packetized noise signal into noise signals suitable for output and transmits the output noise signals to a listening party. When the access gateway detects that no voice signal is being received and only a noise signal is being received for a predetermined period of time, the access gateway instructs the egress network to continually transmit output noise signals to the listening party and ceases to transmit packetized noise signals to the egress gateway. |
| US07664134B2 |
Programmable Q-ordered sets for in-band link signaling
In a network having nodes that operate according to a protocol that defines a node as being in an idle mode when the node is not transmitting or receiving a packet, a method of communicating between nodes during the idle mode. A message formatted according to the protocol is generated. The message is different from messages predefined by the protocol for transmission during the idle mode. For example, the message can comprise a first portion that reports a link status condition. The message can further comprise a second portion that reports a cause of the link status condition. The message is transmitted from a first node of the network when the first node is in the idle mode. The message is received at a second node of the network when the second node is in the idle mode. |
| US07664132B2 |
Random medium access methods with backoff adaptation to traffic
Using low PF values in conjunction with traffic-adapted contention windows leads to substantial decreases in delay and jitter. In general, adaptation to traffic reduces contention or delay: opening up the contention window in congestion and closing it on relief. Residual backoff adaptation provides for the reduction of the already decremented backoff values of stations that interrupted the backoff countdown process due to a transmission. It is good to adapt both the contention window and the residual backoff in order to avoid jitter. Otherwise, if the contention window is reduced but residual backoffs stay unchanged, new arrivals will enjoy shorter backoff delays than older ones, resulting in greater jitter. Adjusting both preserves the relative ordering of backoff counter values, which implies also some form of age ordering. Different adjustments can be applied to different priority traffic. |
| US07664130B2 |
Wireless communication system, wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication method and computer program
The present invention eliminates a transmission-waiting operation which is unnecessary while accommodating a prioritized traffic. Although a communication station enters a transmission-disallowed state in response to detection of a signal addressed to another station in accordance with medium access control based on CSMA, if the communication station receives a frame transmitted with priority to a local station during the transmission waiting, it cancels the transmission-disallowed state, sends back a frame responding the frame transmitted with priority and effectively operates a transmission prioritized period. The communication station starts a search procedure to perform a processing of evading duplication of the transmission prioritized periods if it judges a possibility of a problem occurring in a time zone in which reception with priority is possible. |
| US07664126B2 |
Data communication apparatus, intermittent communication method therefor, program describing the method and recording medium for recording the program
A data communication method for a wireless communication terminal (101) that receives data transmitted intermittently from a transmitting side and plays the data in real time, includes: a step (502, 606 and 607) for requesting to a server (203) and acquiring therefrom, the data characteristics (401-405) of the data transmitted intermittently; a step for determining, based on the data characteristics (401-405), the data transmission rate at which data will not cause either overflow or underflow during real-time playback of the data, and the amount of buffering of data to be stored in advance in a buffer memory from the start of data transmission from the transmitting side to the beginning of playback; a step (504, 611) for transmitting the data transmission rate and the amount of buffering to a base station (121, 202). |
| US07664122B1 |
Call tracking using voice quality measurement probe
A system for monitoring quality of calls in a network. A server receives information concerning calls which begin or end in a network and at the same time receives measurements of a quality parameter such as bandwidth. This measurement data is provided by a probe, so that the server is able to correlate calls which are placed through the network with the quality of service in the network at that time. When the quality falls below a desired level, the server notifies the customer or the network operator so that appropriate action may be taken. |
| US07664120B2 |
Multiple-transceiver distributed dynamic channel selection in a communication network
In certain embodiments, a first node among a plurality of distributed nodes capable of forming or reforming a communication network between the nodes, each of the nodes including one or more transceivers, includes a memory for storing values for variables for the first node and includes a plurality of transceivers. The first node is operable to: (1) spontaneously and independent of a centralized controller associated with the network, transmit a probe message for purposes of forming or reforming a network; (2) receive a probe message from a second node for purposes of forming or reforming a network, the probe message including values for variables for the second node; (3) compare the values for the variables for the first node to the values for the variables for the second node within the probe message to determine, independent of a centralized controller associated with the network, whether the first node should set a home channel of one of its transceivers to a new channel; and (4) if so, set the home channel of a determined one of the transceivers of the first node to the new channel. |
| US07664117B2 |
Last leg utility grid high-speed data communication network having virtual local area network functionality
A power line based communication system includes a power line termination module, a plurality of power line gateways, and a plurality of power line nodes. The power line termination module manages data for local area networks within the power line based communication system. The plurality of power line gateways is arranged in sets of power line gateways, wherein each set of power line gateways constitutes a local area network. Each of the plurality of power line nodes is operably coupled to the power line termination module via a high-speed communication path. In addition, each power line node is operably coupled to set of power line gateways, i.e., to a local area network, via power lines of a local transformer. Each of the power line nodes receives data for its respective LAN from the power line termination module and provides the data to the power line gateways of its LAN via the power lines of the local transformer. Virtual local area networks are enabled between the power line termination module and the power line gateways. |
| US07664111B2 |
Network switching system having a connection device management table commonly owned on a wireless network
The network switching system is provided with a communication route management table for managing transmission path information of a wireless network including wireless access devices, and a connection device management table for managing, in common on the wireless network, the information on wireless network devices connected to the wireless access devices. The system is further provided with a signal transmitter for referencing the two tables, and generating a signal frame depending on the destination of communication signals received to transmit the signal frame generated. Communication is prevented from being interrupted when communication route information is updated, and from being invaded on a communication route in the network. The network system is more efficiently utilized. |
| US07664109B2 |
System and method for distributed streaming of scalable media
A “PeerStreamer” provides receiver-driven peer-to-peer (P2P) media streaming for loosely coupled P2P networks. Peers in the network perform only simple operations, may cache all or part of the streaming media, do not collaborate with other peers, may be unreliable, and may drop offline or come online during any given streaming session. Clients in the network operate in real-time to coordinate peers, stream media from multiple peers, perform load balancing, handle online/offline states of peers, and perform decoding and rendering the streaming media. In one embodiment, the PeerStreamer uses high rate erasure resilient coding to allow multiple serving peers to hold partial media without conflict, such that clients simply retrieve fixed numbers of erasure coded blocks regardless of where and what specific blocks are retrieved. In another embodiment, the PeerStreamer uses embedded coded media to vary streaming bitrates according to available serving bandwidths and client queue status. |
| US07664103B2 |
Method for providing VoIP services for wireless terminals
The present invention relates to a system and method for wireless telecommunication in a packet-based network comprising a Software Radio Port (SRP) which functions as a radio base station and a VoIP gateway to interconnect the wireless network with the VoIP packet network. Together with a Network Server Platform (NSP) and VoIP call-server, the SRP combines mobile call processing signaling with the VoIP call signaling to establish calls between the mobile and VoIP device or between mobiles. The SRP establishes the voice path to the mobile station over the air and the RTP media path to a party over a packet network for a call. These two paths are interconnected at the SRP so that an end-to-end voice path is established. |
| US07664101B1 |
Method and apparatus for supporting multiple active sessions on a per user basis
A method and apparatus for establishing multiple application sessions, such as video, audio, voice, and data sessions, and displaying them on a video display device such as a television are disclosed. These sessions can be independent of each other or the user can request the network to join these sessions so that a single session is created. For example, a user can request the network to create a video session and a music session and combine them into one session, so the audio portion of the video session is replaced by the user specified music contents and so on. |
| US07664100B2 |
Voice-over-IP telephone devices and systems
A method for a service provider to provide telephone service between a first telephone and a second telephone includes connecting to the first telephone, receiving a request from the first telephone to make a call to the second telephone using a VoIP number, mapping the VoIP number to a PSTN number, determining a modem bank local to the second telephone, connecting to the modem bank, instructing the modem bank to connect to the second telephone using the PSTN number, and routing the call from the first telephone through the modem bank to the second telephone. |
| US07664099B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing shared services
The present invention enables an overlay capability to be invoked on network systems and elements that are designed to support multiple customer bases. Depending on the registered identification of the user, screens and other user interfaces that provide access to functions can be overlaid on the network component and segmented along customer classifications. |
| US07664096B2 |
Remote location VOIP roaming behind firewalls
A connection between an external host and a host internal to a network (e.g., VPN or LAN) and located behind a firewall and/or NAT-enabled device is established and maintained. A dynamic DNS server is updated with the remote location (RL) information associated with the internal host. This information includes the dialed number (i.e. the number assigned to the internal host), the physical address of the internal host, the private IP address corresponding to the internal host, the public IP address corresponding to the firewall, and the port on which voice data is to be communicated. Each time the internal host's location changes, a new and updated record is sent to the dynamic DNS server. The call placed by an external host reaches its final destination based on the record information in the DNS server table. Once the connection between the external host and the internal host is established, voice traffic is “cut-through” the firewall on this channel associate with the port designated by the RL record. |
| US07664094B1 |
System for utilizing genetic algorithm to provide constraint-based routing of packets in a communication network
A Path Generator connects to a communication network and uses genetic algorithms to assign flows to paths. Genotypes encode flow to path assignments for working and protection paths. Genotype fitness functions are computed as a weighted sum of constraint fitness functions. Each constraint fitness function evaluates the degrees to which the genotype is a satisfactory solution. The system can be used for network modeling. It can also receive requests for on-demand assignment of flows and on-demand rerouting of flows. |
| US07664093B2 |
Wireless transmission system and wireless transmission method and wireless station for use therein
A wireless station capable of increasing the probability that a path diversity effect can be obtained in a case where a plurality of wireless stations transmit packets using a modulation/demodulation scheme with an anti-multipath property. A delay amount determining section (48) randomly selects a delay amount from among a plurality of candidate values. A transmission timing control section (47) determines a transmission start timing, at which to start the packet transmission, to be a timing obtained by delaying a reference timing by the delay amount selected by the delay amount determining section. At the transmission start timing, a modulation section (49) transmits the packet via an RF section (42) and an antenna (41). The difference between the candidate values is greater than or equal to a predetermined delay resolution, and the difference between a maximum candidate value and a minimum candidate value is less than or equal to a predetermined maximum delay. |
| US07664091B2 |
Method and apparatus for control channel transmission and reception
A method and apparatus for control channel transmission and reception is provided herein. In particular, the use of a partitioned and structured control channel is provided that leverages the benefits of common control while maintaining favorable aspects of dedicated control. During operation, control information is distributed over a number of partitions (201). Each Pi is encoded (607) with monotonically non-increasing reliability level. Control information for a given remote unit can be distributed on one or several partitions, from Pl to Pk, where Pk is encoded with the lowest reliability level that can be decodable by the remote unit at an acceptable error rate. |
| US07664090B2 |
Intra-frame code diversity
Provided are methods and apparatuses to encode portions of user data with corresponding spreading sequences within a frame wherein the user data is associated with a single user. |
| US07664089B2 |
System and method for using an adaptive hybrid coordination function (HCF) in an 802.11E wireless LAN
A system comprises a network congestion monitoring module for monitoring a congestion-related metric of a wireless medium, the congestion-related metric being based on traffic class, e.g., average contention window; a contention-period/contention-free-period (CP/CFP) adaptation module coupled to the network congestion monitoring module for generating CP/CFP information, e.g., CP/CFP duration information and/or traffic class shifting information, in response to the at least one congestion-related metric; a point coordinator module coupled to the CP/CFP adaptation module for coordinating access to the wireless medium using a point coordination function, e.g., HCCA, based on the CP/CFP information; and a distributed coordinator module coupled to the CP/CFP adaptation module for coordinating access to the wireless medium using a distributed coordination function, e.g., EDCA, based on the CP/CFP information. |
| US07664088B2 |
Method for providing QoS using flow label in providing multimedia service in IPv6 network and system applying the same
Provided is a QoS providing method using a flow label in providing multimedia service in an IPv6 network and a system applying the same. According to the method, a signal connection server extracts session information from a communication request response signal transmitted from a destination in response to a communication request signal of a source, and transmits the extracted session information to a QoS provisioning server. The QoS provisioning server receives the session information, and generates a session key including flow label, and sets QOS information corresponding to the session key. The QoS provisioning server transmits the session key and the QoS information to an IPv6 node, and transmits QoS provisioning completion information to the signal connection server. When the signal connection server receives the QoS provisioning completion information, the signal connection server transmits the received communication request response signal to the source. The IPv6 node forwards an introduced packet on the basis of the transmitted session key and the QoS information. |
| US07664083B1 |
Monitoring portal systems and methods
In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a monitoring portal configured to receive state information descriptive of usage of a plurality of communication services provided on a plurality of communication networks of different types and to make the state information available to a subscriber of the plurality of communication services, in substantially real time. |
| US07664075B2 |
Access point to access point range extension
An architecture and methods for extending the depth of a WLAN to a four-level hierarchal access point structure including wireless access points. The wireless access points in the WLAN can be networked by scanning for a network, collecting one or more packets that identify the network from one or more access points, each packet including an address identifying an ancestry of the access points to an ancestral wired access point; and applying an access point selection algorithm to configure a parent access point. The architecture includes a scanning object configured to issue a scan request to a network interface and collect access point data; a selection object configured to filter and sort the collected access point data; an authentication state machine configured to perform authentication and validate; and an association state machine configured to compose a packet including hierarchical data indicative of access point ancestry to a conventional access point. |
| US07664063B2 |
Announcing information service through broadcasting or multicasting
A receiver (FIG. 2), receives IP session announcement signals from a terrestrial digital video broadcasting system. Each IP session announcement (RM) includes information concerning announcements on an immediately lower level as well as information identifying the quantity of announcement data, such as the number of announcement messages, and a timeout value. The quantity data tells the receiver how many messages X1 to X3 it needs to receive (C) before it has received all the relevant announcement messages. The timeout value informs the receiver how long it can wait before again receiving the messages X1 to X3 (which may have changed in content by then). After initially receiving the messages X1 to X3, the receiver may sleep (E), or it may receive announcement messages from another channel Y (D). |
| US07664062B2 |
Method for adjusting transmission rate of wireless communication system
The present invention provides a method for dynamically adjusting the transmission rate of a wireless communication system. The method comprises the steps of: setting an initial transmission rate; counting the number of successful or unsuccessful transmission; comparing the number with a predetermined threshold and obtaining a comparing result; and adjusting the transmission rate according to the comparing result. The present invention also provides a method that uses the strength of received signals to determine if the transmission rate needs adjusting. |
| US07664059B2 |
Error handling in a wireless communications system
A method for detecting an erroneous sequence number in a status report in a wireless communications system includes receiving a status report sent from a receiver of the wireless communications system, detecting whether a negatively acknowledged sequence number is within a range that is larger than or equal to the sequence number following the sequence number of the last in-sequence acknowledged packet and smaller than the sequence number of the next packet to be transmitted for the first time, and detecting that the status report includes an erroneous sequence number when a negatively acknowledged sequence number is not within the abovementioned range. |
| US07664056B2 |
Media based collaboration using mixed-mode PSTN and internet networks
A method which allows standard telephone users to audio conference with video conferencing participants over IP networks in a private secure environment. A dial-out is performed from one or more conference client terminals bridging audio between the Internet and the PSTN networks. The process uses a mixed mode hybrid network architecture for call set-up, initialization and teardown including the method to mix audio at the desktop terminal instead of in a general purpose server as in the prior art. The method conferences video and audio between multiple clients and include audio from a standard telephone network within the conference. A virtual private network connects all of the IP clients together including the voice over IP server used to transcode the proprietary audio into the H.323 standard for transport into the telephony network. |
| US07664054B2 |
Neighbor location discovery with directional antennas in a mesh network
Disclosed is a Neighbor Location Discovery Protocol (NLDP) that determines the relative locations of the nodes in a mesh network. In one embodiment, NLDP can be implemented for an ad-hoc wireless network where the nodes are equipped with directional antennas and are not able to use GPS. While NLDP relies on nodes having at least two RF transceivers, it offers significant advantages over previously proposed protocols that employ only one RF transceiver. In NLDP antenna hardware is simple, easy to implement, and readily available. Further, NLDP exploits the host node's ability to operate simultaneously over non-overlapping channels to quickly converge on the neighbor's location. NLDP is limited by the range of the control channel, which operates in a omni-directional fashion. However, by choosing a low frequency band, high power, and low data rate, the range of the control channel can be increased to match the range on the data channel. |
| US07664053B2 |
Method and system for implementing multicast using slave block in digital subscriber line access technique
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a system for implementing multicast using a slave block in DSL access technique. Several slave blocks are cascaded with a master block accessed to the DSL. The master block and slave block are respectively connected with DSL users via RTUs, and access an uplink via a network interface of the master block. The slave block is configured to support the IGMP proxy or the IGMP snooping so as to implement multicast function independently. This invention overcomes the shortcomings including the heavy burden on the master block, low efficiency and serious waste in bandwidth resulting from the fact that the operation of the slave block multicast member is implemented in the master block, thus increasing the efficiency of multicast and saving bandwidth of the master block. |
| US07664052B2 |
Ring network and master node
A master node transmits a probe packet for checking a condition of a network in a ring in both directions thereof to detect the occurrence of a fault on the ring. A slave node increments a hop count included in the received probe packet, transmits it to an adjacent node configuring the ring, and transmits a hop count report packet to the master node. The master node detects a fault on the ring based upon a fact that the master node does not receive the probe packet transmitted by itself. Further, the master node detects the occurrence of multiple faults and the recovery of at least one of the multiple faults based upon the sum of maximum values of hop counts in the hop count report packets received from both directions of the ring and transmits a packet for prompting the update of the database for packet transfer. |
| US07664047B2 |
Method for determining whether to peform link adaptation in WCDMA communications
An apparatus and corresponding method for deciding whether to perform link adaptation for communication transmitted from a first communication device to a second communication device, where the second communication device examines a signal received from the first communication device and provides a first indication of the quality of the signal. The method includes the steps of: recording at least one first indication of the quality of the signal as received by the second communication device; providing a second indication of the quality of the signal based on the at least one first indication of the quality of the signal; and deciding to perform link adaptation based on the second indication of the quality of the signal. The first indication of the quality of the signal is for example a signal to interference ratio (SIR) estimate. Often, the second indication of the quality of the signal is a changed SIR target value. |
| US07664046B2 |
Mobile communications terminal for supporting extended link adaptation techniques and method thereof
A mobile communication terminal including a Central Processing Unit (CPU) configured to set at least one or more predetermined parameters according to communication channel states, and a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) transmission/reception processor configured to process input data based on the set at least one or more predetermined parameters. |
| US07664042B2 |
Storage control apparatus, storage apparatus, storage control method, and computer-readable recording medium for executing a command based on data in received packet
Information about an attribute of packets that are receivable corresponding to a command is registered. When a packet is received, information about an attribute of the packet received is acquired. Upon occurrence of a reception error that there is no information in the attribute registering unit corresponding to the information acquired by the attribute acquiring unit, a predetermined reception error handling routine is executed according to a type of the reception error. |
| US07664039B2 |
Method and apparatus for evaluating network operation costs
A method and apparatus for calculating a cost index in a communication network are described. In one embodiment, a plurality of cost factors associated with a first network operation mode is obtained. A plurality of second cost factors associated with a second network operation mode is subsequently obtained. A first cost index is then determined based on the plurality of cost factors associated with the first network operation mode. Likewise, a second cost index is determined based on the plurality of cost factors associated with the second network operation mode. Afterwards, the first cost index is compared to the second cost index to determine whether a recommendation for an implementation of the second operation mode is warranted. |
| US07664038B2 |
Method and apparatus for evaluating component costs in a communication network
A method and apparatus for calculating a cost index in a communication network. In one embodiment, a plurality of first cost factors associated with a first set of network elements is obtained. Subsequently, a plurality of second cost factors associated with a second set of network elements is obtained. A first cost index is then determined based on the plurality of first cost factors associated with the first set of network elements. Similarly, a second cost index is determined based on the plurality of second cost factors associated with the second set of network elements. Afterwards, the first cost index is compared to the second cost index to determine a point in time when a service provider should minimize new investment in the first set of network elements. |
| US07664037B2 |
Multichannel mesh network, multichannel mesh router and methods for routing using bottleneck channel identifiers
Nodes of a multichannel mesh network generate channel-metric matrices for routing packets to destinations based on a bottleneck channel identified for the source-destination pair. The identification of bottleneck channels increases the diversity among the different communication channels used along a route. This link-state routing approach may allow better paths to be found. |
| US07664035B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling reverse-link data transmission rate during handoff
Method and apparatus for controlling data transmission rate in a wireless communication system during handoff comprises a terminal recognizing an active set comprising a serving base station and at least one non-serving base station with respect to the terminal communicating with the network at a first data transmission rate, receiving a first rate control parameter from the serving base station and a second rate control parameter from the at least one non-serving base station, wherein the first and second rate control parameters are associated with determination of a second data transmission rate of the terminal during the handoff and determining the second data transmission rate in response to the first and the second rate control parameters, wherein the second data transmission rate is one of increased rate, decreased rate and same rate from the first data transmission rate. |
| US07664029B2 |
Method of determining a spectral route for a given connection in an optical telecommunications network
In order to determine a spectral route for a given connection in an optical telecommunications network (T) between a starting node (ON1) and a destination node (ON6) of the network, the method consists in: using a conventional routing method to determine one or more candidate spatial routes (Route i, Route 2) connecting the starting node (ON1) to the destination node (ON6), each candidate spatial route comprising a sequence of route segments, each segment connecting two nodes of the network directly and being adapted to support a plurality of spectral routes. |
| US07664024B2 |
VoIP network system for multicasting packets and a method of constructing the same
In a VoIP network system, when a host terminal detects a link with a network, a connection-time determiner determines the time required for reconnection from a disconnection time when a link with the network was disconnected before to an establishment time when a link with the network is reestablished. If the time required for connection is shorter than a predetermined period of time, the connection-time determiner determines that address information is not to be transmitted since the time required for connection is too short to transmit the address information. Otherwise, the connection-time determiner determines that the address information is to be transmitted. According to a result of the determination, self-address information is transmitted by multicast communication to other terminals. |
| US07664020B2 |
Bandwidth allocation for video-on-demand networks
Methods for the optimal allocation of bandwidth among a plurality of video-on-demand (VOD) programs available on each link of a VOD tree network, where a server at the root node of the tree network broadcasts the multiple VOD programs. Each node in the network has demands for a subset of the programs and each link connecting nodes in the network has a limited amount of available bandwidth capacity. The available bandwidth is allocated on each link optimally among all programs that are carried on that link. The bandwidth allocated to a specific program may be different on different links of the network, as the bandwidth allocated may be decreased, but not increased, from one link to the next along the paths from the root node to the destination nodes. The methods use equitable resource allocation models with a lexicographic minimax objective function. The first method finds optimal solutions while satisfying the capacity constraints on all links, tree-like ordering constraints for the bandwidth allocated to each of the programs, and lower and upper bounds on bandwidth allocation for each program. The second method finds optimal solutions to a more restrictive scheme that imposes additional constraints which require equal bandwidth allocation for a specific program on all relevant links emanating from the same node. |
| US07664019B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating differentiated service qualities in an ethernet passive optical network
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for forwarding packets in an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) which includes a central node and at least one remote node. During operation, the system associates a logical link identifier (LLID) to a logical link between the central node and a remote node, wherein the logical link corresponds to a priority level based on a certain service level agreement (SLA). After receiving a packet to be forwarded to a remote node, the system then determines the value of one or more fields within the packet which is used to indicate a priority level for the packet. Subsequently, the system assigns an LLID to the packet based on the value of the one or more fields, thereby facilitating differentiated service qualities within the EPON. |
| US07664018B2 |
Methods and apparatus for switching fibre channel arbitrated loop devices
Methods and apparatus for switching Fiber Channel Arbitrated Loop Systems is provided between a plurality of Fiber Channel Loop devices. In one aspect of the invention, the system switches based at least in part on arbitrated loop primitives. An exemplary interconnect system may include a first port and a second port, both including port logic to monitor certain arbitrated loop primitives, a connectivity apparatus, a route determination apparatus including a routing table consisting of ALPA addresses and their associated ports, the route determination apparatus coupled to each port and the connectivity apparatus, where the connectivity apparatus creates paths between the ports based on arbitrated loop primitives. In one embodiment, the connectivity apparatus is a crossbar switch. Examples of the arbitrated loop primitives that cause the switch to create paths between ports includes one or more of the following: ARB, OPN and CLS. In yet other aspects, the system ensures device access fairness through one or more techniques, including a rotating priority system, a counter to count the number of OPNs, especially sequential OPNs, and/or priority based on port type. Device zoning may be implemented. In one implementation, the system includes trunking such that frames may be transferred on multiple ports. |
| US07664017B2 |
Congestion and delay handling in a packet data network
A method of managing a data packet queue in a buffer associated with the radio layers of a wireless network, the buffer storing packets prior to their transmission over the radio interface. The method comprises defining minimum and maximum threshold levels for the packet queue, and for a data packet received by the buffer 1) performing a congestion avoidance procedure if the buffer queue exceeds said maximum threshold level, or 2) not performing said procedure if the buffer queue is less than said minimum threshold level, or 3) if the buffer queue lies between said maximum and minimum thresholds, performing said congestion avoidance procedure for said packet, and not performing the procedure for at least one or more subsequent packets. |
| US07664016B2 |
Data transfer device
In a cellular telephone, a music data transfer control unit and a remote control unit control a close-range radio communications unit to establish a remote control session and a data transfer session, between the music data transfer control unit, remote control unit and an audio device, and transfer audio data to the audio device. If the data transfer session is not established during predetermined periods (W1+W2) after the establishment of the remote control session, a control unit disconnects the remote control session. |
| US07664015B2 |
Inspection system with data acquisition system interconnect protocol
An improved interconnection protocol that is well suited for use in an inspection system or similar modular electronic system. Communication is provided over a network where the electronic modules are nodes, including a root node and multiple remote nodes. The root node and remote nodes are connected through multiple point-to-point synchronous links. The root node and remote nodes are configured to send and receive packets in either a short form or a normal form. Timing between the root node and remote nodes is provided by an external clock distributed by the root node. Each remote node responds to commands with low latency. This protocol allows normal packets to be configured to provide variable payload length, with a maximum payload size that yields a low protocol overhead. |
| US07664011B2 |
Wireless communications apparatus and wireless communication method
The invention performs orthogonal frequency division multiplex processing on a transmission signal to form an OFDM modulation signal (daubed in FIG.) and performs orthogonal frequency division multiplex processing and code division multiple access processing on a transmission signal to form an OFDM-CDM modulation signal (shaded in FIG.) to transmit the OFDM modulation signal and the OFDM-CDM modulation signal, which makes it possible to transmit data in a very high rate using the OFDM modulation signal while making it possible to transmit data in a higher quality using the OFDM-CDM modulation signal than using the OFDM-modulation signal, although it is slightly inferior to OFDM modulation in terms of high rate transmission. |
| US07664010B2 |
Systems and methods for combining reference and data signals to reduce peak to average power ratio for coherent communication systems
A method for combining a reference signal with a data signal is disclosed. A multiplexed data signal is received. A demultiplexer is applied to the data signal. The data signal is encoded. A linear transformation is applied to the data signal which projects the data signal into a null-space of a plurality of reference signals. The encoded data signal is summed with the reference signal. The summation of the data signal and the reference signal is orthogonally modulated. The combined reference signal and data signal is transmitted to a receiver. |
| US07664008B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer program product providing low-density parity-check block length selection
A transmitter determines a number of available bits (Navbits) in a minimum number of orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) symbols in which a data field of a packet may fit, by Navbits=(NCBPS*(1+USTBC))*ceil(Npld/(NCBPS*R*(1+USTBC))), where USTBC equals 1 when Space-Time Block Code (STBC) is used and 0 otherwise, where Npld=LENGTH*8+16, where NCBPS is the number of coded bits per symbol, where R is the code rate, and where LENGTH is a number of bytes in a Physical Layer Convergence Protocol (PLCP) PLCP Service Data Unit (PSDU); and determines an integer number of Low-Density Parity-Check Code (LDPCC) codewords to be transmitted, NCW, and the length of the codewords to be used, LLDPC, from information capable of being expressed in a table format. |
| US07664006B2 |
Device for reading from or writing to optical recording media
A device for reading from or writing to optical recording media having an optical assembly and a laser diode coupled thereto is described. The laser diode is a twin laser diode which is coupled to the optical assembly by means of a translationally displaceable rotary joint. |
| US07664005B2 |
Optical pickup apparatus
The adverse influence of reflected light from adjacent layers as stray light on a control signal or data signal is reduced when tracking a multilayered optical disc using differential push-pull method. The reflected light from the optical disc including stray light from an adjacent layer is once condensed with a condenser lens having little aberration and is then reflected by a reflecting mirror having a partial reflecting region. The resultant reflected light, which has the influence of stray light reduced, passes through a polarization beam splitter and becomes incident on a four-quadrant detector (for main beam) and a split detector (for sub beam) via a condenser lens having astigmatic aberration. |
| US07664004B2 |
Optical pickup apparatus
An optical pickup apparatus comprising: an objective lens configured to apply a laser beam for recording or reproducing information to a plurality of layers of information recording surfaces selectively, the plurality of layers of information recording surfaces being included in an optical disc mounted on a turn table; and a spherical aberration correction lens configured to be movable on a light path on the side where the laser beam is incident on the objective lens, so as to correct spherical aberration when the laser beam is applied from the objective lens to any one of the plurality of information recording surfaces in the optical disc, a distance between the spherical aberration correction lens and the objective lens on each light path when the laser beam is focused on each of the plurality of layers of information recording surfaces in the optical disc with movement of the spherical aberration correction lens, including a distance at which optical magnification of an optical system including the spherical aberration correction lens and the objective lens is maintained substantially constant. |
| US07664001B2 |
Method of holographic recording and reproduction, holographic recording medium and holographic recording and reproducing apparatus
A method of holographic recording and reproduction includes recording to the holographic recording medium a wavelength variation reference pattern which is recorded as a hologram at a wavelength of the recording beam, recording to the holographic recording medium a page data pattern as a hologram at the wavelength of the recording beam, detecting the wavelength variation between the recording beam and the reproducing beam based on the size of an image for wavelength variation reference obtained by reproducing the wavelength variation reference pattern at a wavelength of the reproducing beam, and reproducing the page data pattern using the reproducing beam with a wavelength controlled based on the detected wavelength variation. |
| US07664000B2 |
Data erase method for rewritable phase change type recording medium
For an optical recording medium having a phase change type recording layer on its a substrate and having as read only area and a writable area in a recording area, a data recording method is provided which records data in the writable area. This data recording method comprises a transfer step of transferring program data recorded in the read only area in a practical form to an external computer, and an execution step (step A10) of automatically executing the program data in the external computer to record data in the writable area, which can facilitate manufacturing and reduce the possible of destruction or falsification of ROM data. |
| US07663998B2 |
Information reproduction device and read clock monitoring method
An information reproduction device capable of a more appropriate frequency monitoring of a read clock, as compared to conventional devices, is realized. By providing the information reproduction device with a frequency difference detection means which detects a difference in frequencies between a read clock, obtained by applying PLL to a reproduction signal read from a recording medium, and a reference clock; an information processing means which performs signal processing on the reproduction signal and outputs a processing status information indicating whether or not the information processing is performed normally; and a frequency monitoring means which monitors whether or not the frequency of the read clock is normal based on the frequency difference and the processing status information; wherein the frequency monitoring means makes a transition to an OK status which indicates that the frequency of the read clock is normal when the processing status information is indicating a normal status; and makes a transition to a NG status which indicates that the frequency of the read clock is abnormal when the processing status information is indicating an abnormal status and the difference of the frequencies exceeds a first threshold; and returns to an OK status when the difference of the frequencies is below a second threshold during the NG status. |
| US07663996B2 |
Track jumping for optical recording media
A method for track jumping for optical recording media exhibiting eccentricity, and to an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media using such method is disclosed. The method for track jumping for optical recording media exhibiting eccentricity, whereby a sled and/or an actuator are moved from a start track to an end track, includes the steps of: determining the eccentricity of the optical recording medium, initiating the track jump at minimum eccentric acceleration, and completing the track jump at minimum eccentric acceleration. |
| US07663992B2 |
Multi-layered information recording medium, recording apparatus, and recording method
A multi-layered information recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the multi-layered information recording medium comprising: a user data area for recording user data; and a plurality of spare areas including at least one replacement region, wherein when the user data area includes at least one defect region, the at least one replacement region may be used in place of the at least one defect region, wherein a first spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a first user data area of a first recording layer, a second spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a second user data area of a second recording layer, and the first spare area and the second spare area are positioned approximately at the same radial position on the multi-layered information recording medium. |
| US07663990B2 |
Optical recording medium having access control area and method for recording or reproducing thereof
An information recording medium includes an access control area in which access control data (ACD) is recorded, the ACD having common information set to allow a recording/reproducing apparatus that cannot recognize a predetermined function of the information recording medium to control access to the information recording medium; and an ACD state information area in which state information regarding one of defectiveness and recordability of an ACD block, at which the ACD is recorded in the access control area, is recorded. |
| US07663987B2 |
Method and system for calibrating recording track offset of optical storage device
A method for calibrating a recording track offset of an optical storage device accessing an optical storage medium of a land and groove recording/reproduction type includes: setting at least one control parameter of a track offset control loop of the optical storage device to drive the track offset control loop to enter an first state; and recording data onto the optical storage medium with the track offset control loop being enabled to derive the latest value of the recording track offset, where the track offset control loop is utilized for controlling the recording track offset. The method further includes setting the control parameter to drive the track offset control loop to enter a second state, where a loop response of the track offset control loop in the first state is different from that in the second state. |
| US07663981B2 |
Optically assisted magnetic recording device with semiconductor laser, optically assisted magnetic recording head and magnetic disk device
The present invention provides a magnetooptic device, a magnetooptic head, and a magnetic disk drive each capable of performing optically assisted magnetic recording and each having a small size, improved recording density, and a higher transfer rate. In a magnetooptic device, a magnetic circuit including a magnetic gap and a thin film magnetic transducer having a coil portion are stacked on the surface of a semiconductor laser. By the arrangement, optically assisted magnetic recording can be performed, small size and light weight are achieved, and higher transfer rate can be implemented. |
| US07663976B2 |
Dynamic positioning of marine vessels
Dynamic positioning of a vessel 10 connected to the seafloor 14 by a riser 12 utilizes a measurement of riser 12 bottom angle combined with a measurement of vessel 10 velocity, optionally obtained from a Doppler log 16. These two signals are combined to produce a single position estimate using an algorithm such as a Kalman filter. Using riser bottom angle only would result in an unstable control system, since the bottom angle lags the vessel motion by a considerable amount and the relationship is non-linear. Using the velocity measurement alone would result in a slow drift of position. The combination of the two eliminates the disadvantages of the individual measurements. |
| US07663975B2 |
Underwater detection apparatus
An underwater detection apparatus for detecting a target by transmitting and receiving an ultrasound signal is provided. The apparatus includes a replica memory module for storing the typical amplitude evolution of a seawall echo during a predetermined time period as a template-replica beforehand, a correlator module for determining a correlation between the amplitude evolution of an echo signal reflected from the target and the template-replica, a seawall detector module for detecting a seawall position based on the correlation, and a seawall display processor module for displaying the seawall on its position in an indicator. |
| US07663973B2 |
Seismic data acquisition system
A seismic survey system having remote acquisition modules (RAMs) for acquiring seismic signals and communicating with a central recording system (CRU) via a network of cables, other RAMs, and line tap units (LTUs), arranged in a matrix of receiver lines and base lines. Each RAM cyclically converts analog signal values to digital, forming data packets. Interrogation commands emanating from the CRU and relayed with strategic delays by intervening LTUs and RAMs are received by the RAM. Each command causes the RAM to transmit a data packet. Strategic delays are set such that the transmission capacity of the line is best utilized. Power and frequency of transmission are selectable by the CRU to optimize performance. Cables contain multiple communication pairs. The network path between the RAM and the CRU is established from the CRU and altered in event of malfunction. All types of network elements are interconnectable. Recorded samples are synchronous. |
| US07663971B2 |
Resonance scattering seismic method
Resonance scattering analysis of at least 3-component (3-C) VSP data detects heterogeneities in the proximity of a borehole. A method for seismic exploration of a pre-determined volume of the earth for assessing features of the volume using at least 3-C VSP data generated for the volume comprises: computing a resonance spectra indicating resonance scattering of the at least 3-C VSP data; and determining a lateral continuity of said features in accordance with the resonance spectra. Zero amplitude in a resonance spectrum indicates definite polarization of the direct pressure wave into the ray direction and very weak lateral heterogeneity along the path of the direct wave. High amplitudes in a resonance spectrum are observed if energy of the direct wave is observed on the horizontal components due to scattering at small-scale lateral heterogeneities near the receiver. Peak frequency provides information on the size and location of the scattering structure. |
| US07663964B2 |
Memory device, memory system and method of operating such
A memory device including a memory cell array; an input circuit providing drive signals to the memory cell array dependent on externally received command data; an output buffer buffering data read out from the memory cell array; and a timer driving the output buffer such that the buffered data are provided at an output after an adjustable time interval has elapsed, the adjustable time interval beginning with the provision of the drive signals. |
| US07663962B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a bank, a data transfer line, a precharge control circuit, and a precharge line. The bank includes a multiplicity of cell mats arranged in a matrix form. Each of the cell mats has a plurality of unit cells. The data transfer line arranged between the cell mats transfers a data signal outputted from a selected cell mat among the cell mats. The precharge control circuit disposed on the edge of the bank controls the precharge of the data transfer line. The precharge line arranged between first and second cell mats transfers a precharge voltage to the precharge control circuit. The first and the second cell mats are disposed in the center of the bank. |
| US07663959B2 |
Power up/down sequence scheme for memory devices
A method for controlling a word line signal for a memory device during a power down process, comprising: pulling the word line signal down to a low logic state; disconnecting a current path from an external power supply to an internal power supply after the word line signal has been pulled down to the low logic state; and disconnecting a current path from an external ground voltage to an internal ground voltage after a current path from an external power supply to an internal power supply has been completely disconnected. |
| US07663958B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device reduces a number of boost voltage pumps by controlling an operation of the boost voltage pumps in accordance with the number of activated memory banks, thereby reducing an area which the boost voltage pumps occupy in a memory. The semiconductor device includes memory banks, a boost voltage generating controller, and boost voltage pumps. The boost voltage generating controller outputs boost voltage enable signals corresponding to the number of activated memory banks of the memory banks, wherein the number of the boost voltage enable signals is smaller than that of the memory banks. The boost voltage pumps generate a boost voltage in response to the boost voltage enable signal, and provide the boost voltage to the activated memory bank. Here, the number of the boost voltage pumps is less than that of the memory banks. |
| US07663955B2 |
Delayed sense amplifier multiplexer isolation
Methods and circuit arrangements are provided for improving equalization of sense nodes of a sense amplifier in a semiconductor memory device. When a memory array segment on a side a sense amplifier has a bitline leakage anomaly for which the sense amplifier is to be isolated when that memory is in an unselected state, isolation of the sense amplifier from the memory array segment is delayed when transitioning from a selected state of the memory array segment to an unselected state of the memory array segment. The duration of the delay is sufficient to allow time for equalization of the sense nodes of the sense amplifier before isolating the sense amplifier from the memory array segment. |
| US07663953B2 |
Method for high speed sensing for extra low voltage DRAM
A method and apparatus are provided for sensing in low voltage DRAM memory cells. A method according to one embodiment includes: providing a DRAM circuit having a memory cell, a sense amplifier including a pre-charge circuit connected to a first voltage source and a back-to-back inverter including a first and second NMOS transistor, each having a source and a first and second PMOS transistor, each having a source. The method further includes the steps of maintaining the voltage of the sources of the first and second NMOS transistors at a first voltage during normal operation and lowering the voltage of the sources of the first and second NMOS transistors from the first voltage to a second voltage during a read operation. |
| US07663950B2 |
Method for column redundancy using data latches in solid-state memories
A memory has defective locations in its user portion replaceable by redundant locations in a redundant portion. Data latches in the user and redundant portions allow data sensed from or to be written to a memory to be exchanged with a data bus. A defective location latching redundancy scheme assumes the column circuits including data latches for defective columns to be still useable. The data latches for the defective columns are used to buffer corresponding redundant data that are normally accessible from their data latches in the redundant portion. In this way both the user and redundant data are available from the user data latches, and streaming data into or out of the data bus is simplified and performance improved. |
| US07663946B2 |
Semiconductor memory device having on-die-termination device and operation method thereof
A semiconductor memory device is capable of stably securing an on-die-termination (ODT) latency in spite of PVT variations and various operating speeds. The semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of termination resistors connected to an output pad in series and parallel, a drive controller, a delay path, and a delay control signal generator. The drive controller activates/inactivates the plurality of termination resistors in response to a driving control signal. The delay path delays a termination command by a delay time corresponding to an on-die-termination (ODT) latency to output the driving control signal, wherein the termination command is converted into a delay locked loop (DLL) clock domain signal. The delay control signal generator controls a conversion point of the termination command into the DLL clock domain signal. |
| US07663940B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and driving method thereof
A semiconductor memory device is capable of reducing the current dissipation in a termination circuit and allowing a voltage level of a GIO line to rapidly reach a voltage level of a termination voltage when a termination operation is performed. The semiconductor memory device includes a global input/output line configured to transport data between a core region and an interface region, a main driving block configure to drive a voltage level of the global input/output line to predetermined termination voltage level in response to a termination enabling signal, and an auxiliary driving block configured to drive the is voltage level of the global input/output line to the predetermined termination voltage level in response to an over-driving signal, wherein the over-driving signal is enabled for a predetermined period of time during an initial period of an enabling interval for the termination enabling signal. |
| US07663938B2 |
Tree-style AND-type match circuit device applied to content addressable memory
A tree-style AND-type match circuit device applied to the content addressable memory (CAM) is provided. In this tree-style AND-type match circuit device, a plurality of AND-type match circuit groups branchingly connect with each other by a first AND logic gate. The tree-style AND-type match circuit increases the parallelism of the evaluation of the entire match circuit so that it can efficiently reduce the searching period and the switching activity. Thus, the switching caused by the transformation activity is also shortened. As a result, the match circuit device will not increase the loading of the clock signal so the power consumption is reduced significantly. |
| US07663934B2 |
Program method with optimized voltage level for flash memory
A non-volatile memory device and programming process is described that increases the programming voltage of successive programming cycles in relation to the percentage of the data bits that failed programming verification during the previous programming cycle and were not correctly programmed into the memory array. This allows for a faster on average program operation and a more accurate match of the subsequent increase in the programming voltage to the non-volatile memory device, the specific region or row being programmed and any changes due to device wear. In one embodiment of the present invention the manufacturing process/design and/or specific memory device is characterized by generating a failed bit percentage to programming voltage increase profile to set the desired programming voltage delta/increase. In another embodiment of the present invention, methods and apparatus are related for the programming of data into non-volatile memory devices and, in particular, NAND and NOR architecture Flash memory. |
| US07663930B2 |
Programming a non-volatile memory device
A non-volatile memory device that changes the programming step voltage between the source side of the array and the drain side of the array. After the initial programming pulse, a verify operation determines if the cell has been programmed. If the cell is still erased, the initial programming voltage is increased by the step voltage. The step voltage for the lowest word line near the source line is lower than the step voltage for the word line closest to the drain line. |
| US07663912B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and method of fabricating the same
A non-volatile memory device and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate having isolation layers in an isolation region, a tunnel insulating layer formed between the isolation layers, and first electron charge layers formed between the isolation layers, wherein the isolation layers comprise projections extending higher than the semiconductor substrate; etching the first electron charge layers, thereby reducing the thickness of the first electron charge layers and exposing sidewalls of the isolation layers; performing a first etch process to reduce the width of the projections; forming second electron charge layers between the projections on the first electron charge layers; and performing a second etch process to remove the projections between the second electron charge layers. |
| US07663908B2 |
Method for increasing retention time in DRAM
The disclosure generally relates to a method and apparatus for decreasing the frequency of refreshing a memory cell in communication with a word line and a bit line. A method according to one embodiment includes: providing a DRAM circuit having a memory cell, a sense amplifier including a pre-charge circuit connected to a first voltage source and a back-to-back inverter including a first NMOS transistor having a source, a second NMOS transistor having a source, a first PMOS transistor having a source and a second PMOS transistor having a source; maintaining the voltage of the sources of the first and second PMOS transistors at a first voltage during normal operation; and raising the voltage of the sources of the first and second PMOS transistors from the first voltage to a second voltage during a refresh operation. |
| US07663905B2 |
Ferroelectric memory device and data read method in same
A ferroelectric memory device includes a memory cell, read circuit, temperature sensing circuit, and read controller. The memory cell includes a ferroelectric capacitor. The read circuit is configured to read data from the memory cell. The temperature sensing circuit is configured to sense the ambient temperature of the memory cell. The read controller is configured to receive a temperature sensing signal from the temperature sensing circuit, and inhibit a data read operation by the read circuit when the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing circuit is higher than a preset temperature. |
| US07663900B2 |
Tree-structure memory device
A tree-structure memory device. A tree-structure memory device comprises a plurality of bit lines formed on a substrate and arranged in at least one plane substantially parallel to a substrate surface and extending substantially in a first direction. A plurality of layers having a plurality of memory cells is arranged in a first array. At least one tree structure corresponds to a plurality of layers and a bit line, and has a trunk portion and at least one branch portion that corresponds to one of the layers. A word-line group includes at least one word line crossing with the branch portion of the tree structure at a first intersection region. A memory cell of the first array is located at the first intersection region in a layer of the layers. The first array of memory cells includes at least one memory cell comprising a phase-change-material layer disposed between the word line and the branch portion of the tree structure at the first intersection region without an intervening current-steering element. |
| US07663897B2 |
Semiconductor circuit device and data processing system
Occurrence of power supply noise arising in connection with a step-down action at the time of turning on power supply is to be restrained. A step-down unit is provided with a switched capacitor type step-down circuit and a series regulator type step-down circuit, and stepped-down voltage output terminals of the step-down circuits are connected in common. The common connection of the stepped-down voltage output terminals of both step-down circuits makes possible parallel driving of both, selective driving of either or consecutive driving of the two. In the consecutive driving, even if the switched capacitor type step-down circuit is driven after driving the series regulator type step-down circuit first to supply a stepped-down voltage to loads, the switched capacitor type step-down circuit will need only to be compensated for a discharge due to the loads, and a peak of a charge current for capacitors can be kept low. When operation of the switched capacitor type step-down circuit is started, no large rush current arises, and occurrence of noise is restrained. |
| US07663887B2 |
Heat dissipation device assembly with retainer device
A heat dissipation device assembly includes a heat dissipation device mounted on a printed circuit board and a retainer device mounted below the printed circuit board. The retainer device includes a back plate and a crank pivotably mounted to the back plate. The crank includes a pressing portion and a handle for receiving a rotation force. Posts are extended from the heat dissipation device through the printed circuit board to engage with the back plate, thereby to pre-assemble the heat dissipation device on the printed circuit board. The handle is pushed to rotate between a released position and a locked position. In the locked position, the pressing portion extends through the back plate to push the printed circuit board toward the heat dissipation device, whereby an electronic component on the printed circuit board has an intimate contact with the heat dissipation device. |
| US07663886B2 |
Electric circuit device and the manufacturing method
An electronic circuit device includes a lower-side substrate formed with a main circuit; an upper-side substrate formed with a drive control circuit that drivingly controls the main circuit; a support body positionally fixed above the lower-side substrate with resin in a hardened state; and a case having a peripheral portion with an outer surface that has at least a portion of an external lead-out terminal of the drive control circuit and the main circuit thereon, and a substrate storage space that accommodates the lower-side substrate on a side inward from the peripheral portion. |
| US07663885B2 |
IC fixing structure
The IC fixing component includes a locking case accommodating the IC in such a manner that a side of the IC out of a face-to-face contact with the heat dissipation plate is brought into a face-to-face contact with the locking case so as to be covered and a through hole and a rotation stop protrusion inserted into a rotation limiting hole. After the IC has been accommodated in the locking case, the screw member inserted through the through hole is screwed into a screw hole of the heat dissipation plate so that the side of the IC out of face-to-face contact with the locking case is pressed by the locking case thereby to be brought into a face-to-face contact with the heat dissipation plate. |
| US07663882B2 |
Heat dissipating assembly having a fan duct
A heat dissipating assembly for dissipating heat from a graphic card and a hard disk driver (30), includes a heat sink (10) for contacting the graphic card and a fan duct (20) fixed on the heat sink. The fan duct is made by bending a planar metal plate and has a first portion soldered to a top face of the heat sink and a second portion slantwise and upwardly extending from the first portion. When a fan (40) generates an airflow towards the heat sink, a part of the airflow flows through the heat sink to remove heat in the heat sink, and another part of the airflow is guided slantwise and upwardly by the second portion of the fan duct to flow through the hard disk driver, thereby to cool the hard driver. |
| US07663877B2 |
Electronic apparatus and cooling component
An electronic apparatus of the present invention includes a radiation rubber. The radiation rubber is brought into firm contact with both a frame of an air-cooling fan unit and a housing of the electronic apparatus such as a notebook personal computer. The heat of a fan unit is transferred to the housing through the radiation rubber, and the housing is utilized as a radiator. |
| US07663873B2 |
Fixing mechanism for component
An exemplary fixing mechanism for a data storage device includes a case, and a latch member. The data storage device includes two pairs of guiding pins attached to sidewalls thereof. The case includes a first panel, and a second panel. The first panel includes an opening defined therein, and a first plate perpendicularly extending from an edge of the opening. The second panel includes a bracket to hold a component other than the data storage device therein. The bracket includes a wall parallel to the first plate. A pair of first sliding channels is defined in the wall and a second sliding channel is defined in the first plate, for slidably receiving the guiding pins therein. The latch member is attached to the first plate and includes a resilient arm. A positioning space is defined in the resilient member to hold the corresponding guiding pin therein. |
| US07663872B2 |
Sliding mechanism for portable electronic device
A sliding mechanism includes: a slidable intermediate member having first and second guide holes; a first shaft that is slidably inserted into the first guide hole, the first shaft having first and second end portions; a first spring member that is interposed between the first end portion of the first shaft and the slidable intermediate member to urge the slidable intermediate member toward the second end portion of the first shaft; a second shaft that is slidably inserted into the second guide hole, the second shaft having third and fourth end portions, the third end portion being disposed at a position opposite to the first end portion; and a second spring member that is interposed between the third end portion of the second shaft and the slidable intermediate member to urge the slidable intermediate member toward the fourth end portion of the second shaft. |
| US07663871B2 |
Portable computer and method for mounting a flat panel display device module
Disclosed is a computer that includes: a system body having an input device; a display module having a display surface and a rear surface; a display case having a side wall surface; and a hinge pivotally coupling the body to the display module, the hinge including a hinge frame having first and second surfaces, the first surface coupled with the rear surface of the display module, the second surface coupled with the side wall surface of the display case. |
| US07663870B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus is provided. A frame is fixed and supported at the rear of a front panel forming the front portion of the display apparatus, and a separate bracket member is not mounted on the edges of the front panel. Thus, the front exterior of the display apparatus is neatly finished, and the display screen looks bigger than it actually is. |
| US07663868B1 |
Display devices mounting apparatus
A mounting system for display devices provides for easy shipping, installation, and adjustment. First and second brackets are respectively mounted to the display device and the vertical supporting surface, such as a wall or otherwise. The two mounting brackets are then attached to one another in articulating fashion so that adjustment can be made for the mounted display device with respect to the stationary vertical surface. In an optional embodiment, a pan bracket assembly allows for additional angular adjustment of the mounted display device along different axes so as to provide greater adjustment for one or more axes, including an axis normal, or perpendicular, to the display device so that those viewing the display device are better able to see it. |
| US07663864B2 |
Electrolytic capacitor
The electrolytic capacitor includes two chemically processed anode foils, two cathode foils, four separator sheets, four lead tab terminals, two anode leads and two cathode leads. The two chemically processed anode foils, two cathode foils and four separator sheets are arranged alternately and rolled, to form a capacitor element. Two lead tab terminals are connected to the two chemically processed anode foils, respectively, and the remaining two lead tab terminals are connected to two cathode foils, respectively. The two anode leads are connected to two lead tab terminals, respectively, and the two cathode leads are connected to two lead tab terminals, respectively. As a result, equivalent series resistance can stably be reduced. |
| US07663862B2 |
Multilayer capacitor
A first internal electrode includes a main electrode portion whose longer-side direction agrees with a longer-side direction of first and second principal faces, and a lead portion extending from an end of the main electrode portion on the first end face side toward a first side face and connected to a first terminal electrode. A second internal electrode includes a main electrode portion whose longer-side direction agrees with the longer-side direction of the first and second principal faces, and a lead portion extending from an end of the main electrode portion on the first end face side toward a second side face and connected to a second terminal electrode. A third internal electrode includes a main electrode portion whose longer-side direction agrees with the longer-side direction of the first and second principal faces, and a lead portion extending from an end of the main electrode portion on the second end face side toward the first side face and connected to the first terminal electrode. A fourth internal electrode includes a main electrode portion whose longer-side direction agrees with the longer-side direction of the first and second principal faces, and a lead portion extending from an end of the main electrode portion on the second end face side toward the second side face and connected to the second terminal electrode. |
| US07663860B2 |
Electrostatic chuck
An electrostatic chuck for attracting and holding a substrate by using an electrostatic force includes a plurality of protrusion portions to be brought into contact with the substrate. The protrusion portions are formed of a ceramic dielectric including grains each having a specified particle diameter, and contact surfaces of the protrusion portions with the substrate are formed to have a surface roughness depending on the particle diameter. |
| US07663854B1 |
Circuit limiting cascade failure of a series of laser diodes
A laser diode control system is configured to limit cascade failure of a series of laser diodes. The laser diode series is coupled to an output filter of a power supply. The power supply is a switch-mode power supply and the output filter includes an LC circuit. The laser diode control system includes a protection circuit coupled to the laser diode series. The protection circuit includes a post regulator circuit and an inductor coupled in series to the laser diode series. The post regulator includes a transistor and two amplifiers configured to regulate a voltage across the transistor. In the event of a failure within the laser diode series, a current spike across the laser diode series is prevented by regulating the voltage across resistor. |
| US07663852B2 |
Output feedback and under-voltage detection system
A switched mode controller for properly handling an under-voltage condition in a power line which includes a current mirror for receiving current from the power line; a reference current source coupled to the current mirror for supplying a reference current; and a power transistor coupled to the reference current source, the power transistor generating a pulse width modulated signal when current from the power line exceeds the reference current, the power transistor being disabled when current from the power line is less than the reference current. |
| US07663850B2 |
Earth fault protection of a frequency converter
A method in connection with a frequency converter, which frequency converter comprises output phases and switches of the output phases, the output phases being switched to feed a load, and the main circuit of the frequency converter being provided with common-mode inductance. The method comprises a step where, in case of earth fault, switches of the output phase having an earth fault are modulated in such a way that the average potential of this phase corresponds to the ground potential. |
| US07663847B2 |
Magnetoresistive sensor having an anisotropic hard bias without a buffer layer
A magnetoresistive sensor having magnetically anisotropic bias layers for biasing the free layer of the sensor. The hard magnetic layer is formed over a seed layer structure that has been treated to induce the magnetic anisotropy in the hard bias layers. The treated seed layers also allow the hard bias layers to be deposited over a crystalline material such as in a partial mill design, without the need for a buffer layer such as Si to break the epitaxial growth initiated by the underlying crystalline layer. |
| US07663842B2 |
Actuator apparatus of a hard disk drive
An actuator apparatus used with a hard disk drive. The actuator apparatus includes a pivotable actuator arm, a magnetic head mounted onto a first end of the actuator arm, an overmold connected to a second end of the actuator arm and including a metal piece, a voice coil motor (VCM) having a coil coupled to the overmold and at least one magnet positioned to face the coil, and a stopper positioned to be spaced apart at a predetermined interval from the overmold of the actuator arm when the magnetic head is positioned at a parked position, to limit pivoting of the actuator arm. Specifically, the stopper may be positioned to be spaced at the interval from the overmold of the actuator arm positioned at a position where a torque acting on the actuator arm due to the metal piece and the magnet is substantially 0. Accordingly, the torque acting on the actuator arm within the interval is in an opposite direction to a direction in which the actuator arm pivots to a parked position, thereby reducing the pivoting speed of the actuator arm. Thus, noise and impulse caused by the contact of the actuator arm and the stopper reduce. |
| US07663841B2 |
Resonance control features for a head gimbal assembly
The present invention provides an interface for improving resonance control. The interface includes a first member having a first coupling portion, a mounting surface having a second coupling portion for coupling to the first coupling portion of the first member, and a raised engagement member located on at least one of the first member or the mounting surface. The raised engagement surface provides contact between the first member and the mounting surface. |
| US07663838B2 |
Production method for magnetic recording medium
A production method for a magnetic recording medium including forming thin films on a substrate using a sputtering method with a target, wherein the target on which an annular-shaped erosion area is formed during sputtering and a substrate holder on which a plurality of substrates are mounted are installed, opposed in parallel, in a manner such that center axes of the target and the substrate holder align with each other, and the substrates are mounted on the substrate holder in positions such that R3/R1 is 1.1 or smaller and R4 is R2 or greater to form thin films. |
| US07663829B2 |
Performance test method of head gimbal assembly with precise positioning micro-actuator
A method of testing a performance of a HGA including a magnetic head and a micro-actuator for precisely positioning the magnetic head with respect to a magnetic medium is disclosed. The key of the method is to obtain three track center values under conditions of no driving the micro-actuator, driving the micro-actuator in a positive direction using an operating DC voltage, and driving the micro-actuator in a negative direction using the operating DC voltage respectively, and finally do calculation of the three track center values, thus successfully obtains the displacement performance of the micro-actuator in a simple way. The method is capable of testing the HGA's performance under lower operating voltage by moving the slider by a predetermined distance toward an off-track direction, which accordingly assists to identify three track center values and thereby ensures the method an accurate measurement. |
| US07663828B2 |
Determining the reliability of a disk drive
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to determining the reliability of a disk drive. According to one embodiment, values for a parameter associated with a particular type of component of the disk drive are detected while simulating customer usage of the disk drive. The values are stored to enable analyzing the values for statistical variations to determine the reliability of the disk drive. |
| US07663826B2 |
Method and apparatus for copying data from one disc drive to another disc drive
A method and an apparatus for copying data of a disc drive are provided. The method includes: determining whether the first disc drive has a predetermined jumper pin connection by identifying which of a plurality of jumper pins in a jumper block of the first disc drive are connected, the jumper block being used to determine an operation mode of the first disc drive; transmitting a copy command from the first disc drive to the second disc drive if the first disc drive has the predetermined jumper pin connection; and copying data recorded in the first disc drive to the second disc drive in response to the copy command. Accordingly, it is possible to copy data recorded in a first hard disc drive (HDD) to a second HDD without the aid of an additional host. |
| US07663824B2 |
Voice coil module
The present invention relates to a voice coil module (VCM), and more particularly, to a VCM used for lens fixation and displacement measurement in order to prevent and control power consumption. Accordingly, in the VCM, power is not additionally consumed in order to maintain a specific position of the lens in a state that a focus of the lens is adjusted. Further, the lens is not moved and an optical axis is not distorted when a vibration occurs while an image is captured. Furthermore, the lens can be accurately controlled by measuring the present position of the lens. |
| US07663823B2 |
Voice coil type lens drive assembly
A voice coil type lens drive assembly for adjusting the focus of a lens is provided which can prevent the occurrence of trouble in the event of exertion on an external force on the lens not only in a completed state of assembly but also during assembly or during disassembly for repair and is applicable also to a downsized lens drive assembly. |
| US07663820B2 |
Position sensing device and lens driving module using the same
Provided is a position sensing device including a sensing unit that is mounted on one side of a lens barrel, which is inserted into a lens housing portion of a base so as to be vertically driven, and includes a light receiving section and a light emitting section which are provided to face each other; a driven grid that has a plurality of slits formed therein and is mounted on the lens barrel; and a fixed grid that has a plurality of slits formed therein and is fixed and coupled to the inside of the sensing unit. |
| US07663816B2 |
Wide-angle lens and imaging apparatus
Providing a large aperture wide-angle lens having high optical performance with sufficiently suppressed spherical aberration and sagittal coma flare, and an imaging apparatus using the lens. The lens including, in order from an object, a first lens group having positive refractive power, and a second lens group having positive refractive power, the second lens group being movable for focusing and including a 21 lens component having positive refractive power, a 22 lens component having negative refractive power, a 23 lens component having positive refractive power, and a 24 lens component having positive refractive power, and given conditions being satisfied. |
| US07663814B2 |
Imaging lens system and imaging apparatus
The imaging lens system includes a negative first lens disposed on a most object side, having a concave surface directed toward the object side and having a meniscus shape, a cemented lens LC disposed on a most image side and having a convex surface on its most object side, and an aperture diaphragm disposed just in front of the object side of the cemented lens. The system satisfies the following conditional expressions: 0.05<(R2−R1)/(R1+R2)<0.25 vd1 −vd2 >15 where R1 and R2 denote radius of curvatures of object side and image side surfaces of the first lens, respectively, and vd1 and vd2 denote Abbe numbers of lenses, which are located on the most object side and on the most image side among lenses constituting the cemented lens, at the d-line, respectively. |
| US07663811B2 |
Driving mechanism, driving device, and lens driving device
A driving mechanism, a driving device, and a lens driving device includes a lever member. The lever member includes an arm portion for surrounding a part of a driven member in a side direction. The arm portion has a plurality of displacement output portions to be engaged with the driven member. The lever member is constructed in such a manner that a displacement amount of the displacement output portions in a predetermined first axis direction is set larger than a displacement amount of a displacement input portion to be generated by input of a moving force to be applied by a shape memory alloy actuator. The driving mechanism, the driving device, and the lens driving device enable to obtain a large displacement amount with a reduced size and a reduced weight, and stably move the driven member. |
| US07663809B2 |
Compact zoom lens
A compact zoom lens including in an order from an object side to an image side, a first lens group having a negative refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, and a third lens group having a positive refractive power, wherein the first lens group includes two lens, the second lens group includes three lens, and the third lens group includes a single lens, wherein, during zooming from wide angle to telephoto, the distance between the first and second lens groups decreases, the distance between the second and third lens groups increases, and the third lens group moves toward the image side, and wherein the following mathematical inequalities are satisfied: 0.85 < LII f ω × f t < 1.0 0.3 < tII f ω × f t < 0.4 , where LII indicates the distance the second lens group moves during zooming from a wide-angle position to a telephoto position, tII indicates the thickness of the second lens group from a vertex of the utmost object side of the second lens group to a vertex of the image side of the second lens group, on the optical axis, fw indicates the overall focal distance at the wide-angle position, and ft indicates the overall focal distance at the telephoto position. |
| US07663807B2 |
Microscope objective
A microscope objective includes, in order from the object side, a first lens unit with positive refracting power, having two meniscus lenses, each with a concave surface facing the object side, and at least one positive lens; a second lens unit with positive refracting power; and a third lens unit having concave surfaces adjacent and opposite to each other configured as air contact surfaces. The microscope objective satisfies the following conditions: 7≦f 0.5 |
| US07663805B2 |
Eyewear display and media device interconnection system
An eyewear display and media device interconnection system enables a user to connect various media devices and various eyewear or other displays to each other, by using a common interface. The integrated system offers improved ergonomics, lower size, lower power consumption and lower cost. |
| US07663804B2 |
Optical plate and backlight module using the same
An exemplary optical plate includes a transparent plate unit. The transparent plate unit includes a light output surface, a bottom surface, a diffusion layer, and a lamp-receiving portion. The bottom surface is opposite to the light output surface. The diffusion layer is formed on the light output surface. The lamp-receiving portion is defined in the bottom surface. A backlight module using the present optical plate is also provided. |
| US07663802B2 |
Zoom lens system with vibration reduction function
A compact zoom lens system has a zoom ratio of about 3.5 or more, an angle of view of 29° or more in a wide-angle end, and a vibration reduction function. The system includes, in order from an object, a first group having positive power, a second group having negative power, and a third group having positive power. Upon zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first and second groups increases, and a distance between the second and third groups decreases. The third group consists of, in order from the object, a 31 group having positive power, a 32 group having negative power, and a 33 group. Only the 32 group is moved perpendicularly to an optical axis for correcting image blur due to camera shake. |
| US07663801B2 |
Managing gain tilt in an optically amplified transmission system
A method of managing gain tilt in an optical transmission segment including providing an optical transmission segment having a plurality of fiber optic cable spans and a plurality of repeaters coupled to the fiber optic cable spans. Gain tilt in the optical transmission segment is monitored. If negative gain tilt is accumulated at a repeater location in the transmission segment, the repeater at the repeater location is replaced with a higher gain repeater having a higher nominal gain value than the nominal gain value of the repeater being replaced. |
| US07663800B2 |
Electrophoresis display device and electronic apparatus
In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, an electrophoreses display device includes a first electrode that is formed in each of a plurality of pixels. A second electrode is formed opposite to the first electrode. An electrophoresis element is sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode and has electrophoresis particles that are charged electrically. An adhesive layer is interposed between the electrophoresis element and the first electrode. An insulation layer is formed at a region between each two of the first electrodes that are arrayed adjacent to each other. |
| US07663799B2 |
Display apparatus
A movable particle display (such as an electrophoretic display) in which a plurality of closed spaces are two-dimensionally disposed along a surface of the substrate, a plurality of particles contained in each of the closed spaces, and a reflection surface for reflecting light which enters each of the closed particles are moved inside a closed space, between a position at which they cover a reflecting surface and a position at which they are collected to expose the reflecting surface. At least a part of the reflecting surface diffusely reflects incident light with an intensity distribution having directional properties (i.e. non-isotropically). The intensity of the diffusely reflected light has an angular distribution such that: (1) the amount of light reflected toward the position at which the particles are collected is smaller than in the case when the distribution of diffusely reflected light is isotropic, and (2) the amount of light reflected away from the position at which the particles are collected is larger than that of light reflected towards that position. |
| US07663794B2 |
Methods and devices for inhibiting tilting of a movable element in a MEMS device
Interferometric modulators having a separable modulator architecture are disclosed having a reflective layer suspended from a flexible layer over a cavity. The interferometric modulators have one or more anti-tilt members that inhibit undesirable movement of the reflective layer, such as curling and/or tilting. The stabilization of the reflective layer by the anti-tilt members can improve the quality of the optical output of the interferometric modulators, as well as displays comprising such interferometric modulators. |
| US07663793B1 |
Wide angle immersive display system
A wide angle display system, comprising a scanner having at least one reflective surface and an axis of rotation, a dome having a reflective inner surface, the inner surface having an axis of revolution which is coincident with the axis of rotation of the scanner, at least one linear arrangement of light sources producing beams of light. The reflective surface of the scanner reflects the beams of light towards the reflective inner surface of the dome which in turn collimates the beams of light and reflects them towards an observer positioned within the wide angle display system. |
| US07663792B2 |
Reflection mirror unit in image reading device and image reading device using the same
A reflection mirror unit for a document on a platen includes first and second reflection mirrors, a base frame formed of a plate member and having a sliding portion adapted to slidably engage a guide rail located in a sub-scanning direction for the document on the platen, and a mirror support frame formed of a plate member. The mirror support frame includes a mirror mounting portion for supporting the first and second reflection mirrors opposite to each other with a predetermined angle. First and second coupling portions are formed on the base frame and the mirror support frame to couple together. |
| US07663779B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program therefor
When the size output for an image is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value (e.g., index printing), a printing apparatus performs an image expansion/reduction process by using an interpolation method whereby high speed processing is enabled while an inferior image quality is provided, or when the output size is greater than a predetermined value (e.g., the normal printing of a single sheet), employs an interpolation method for a high quality image to perform the expansion/reduction. Further, when the output image size is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value, the printing apparatus 1 skips the noise reduction process and the sharpening process to increase the processing speed. |
| US07663778B2 |
Document processor, image forming apparatus, document processing method, and computer program
In a multifunction product including a plurality of input sources and a plurality of output destinations corresponding to the function thereof, there are an input document class that fits an input document input from the input source to a common format regardless of the input sources and manages the input document, a user document class that obtains user images of a predetermined size to be processed from the input document and manages the user document formed of the obtained user images, and an output document class that uses the output image created from the user images constituting the user document to create an output document reshaped in a format to be output to the output destination and output the output document. |
| US07663777B2 |
Default settings customization system
A method for customizing a print device to a specific user including prompting a user of the device to indicate whether the device is intended for a first type of use or a second, different type of use, receiving an indication of intended use and, in response to the indication, automatically establishing at least one device default setting. |
| US07663775B2 |
Wireless transmitter pen
The present invention relates to a pen for sensing coded data on a page. The coded data is printed on the page as a collection of tags using invisible ink. The pen includes an elongate housing defining an internal space. An ink marking implement is movably mounted within the space and includes an ink marking nib to mark the page with ink. A sensor is mounted within the space and is configured to sense the coded data. A transmitter is mounted within the space and is configured wirelessly to communicate data sensed by the sensor to a printer. |
| US07663773B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program and computer readable recording medium
In an information processing apparatus having a service mode for a service person to carry out maintenance of the apparatus enters for carrying out the maintenance, a registration page is provided for registering the service person as a service person in charge of the maintenance of the apparatus, and an input page is provided for inputting authentication information required for the service person that is registered in the registration page as a person in charge of the maintenance of the apparatus to enter the service mode. |
| US07663770B2 |
Method and system for shopping for a consumable for a device
A method for shopping for one or more consumables for a device includes requesting with the device the identity of at least one supplier for the at least one consumable for the device, identifying the supplier for the consumable based on the request, and displaying with the device the identified supplier. A system for shopping for one or more consumables for a device includes a requesting system, an identification system, and a display system. The requesting system with the device requests the identity of at least one supplier for the consumable for the device. The identification system identifies the supplier for the consumable based on the request. The display system with the device displays the identified supplier. |
| US07663766B2 |
Incorporating film optical property measurements into scatterometry metrology
A method includes collecting optical data from an unpatterned region including a first process layer. At least one optical parameter of the first process layer is determined based on the optical data associated with the unpatterned region. Optical data is collected from a patterned region including a second process layer. At least one characteristic of the patterned region is determined based on the optical data associated with the patterned region and the at least one optical parameter. |
| US07663764B2 |
Measuring device and method to optically measure an object
A measuring device for the optic measuring of an object 13a is provided, in particular for measuring a motion of the object. The device includes an interferometer 20 with a measuring beam exit 12, a reflection beam entry 14, an interfering beam exit 15, and a light source 1 for creating a light beam 8, an optic detector 16, which is arranged at the interfering beam exit 15 of the interferometer 20 such that a light beam exiting the interfering beam exit 15 impinges the detector and a signal processing unit 17 connected to the detector 16 being embodied such that they can measure measuring signals of the detector 16. The interferometer (20) is provided with a switched beam entry (18) and is embodied such that dependent on a switching signal connected to a switched beam entry (18) a light beam exits the measuring beam exit (12) essentially with a predetermined light intensity and at a predetermined angle, and that the signal processing unit (17) is provided with a switched beam exit, which is connected to the switched beam entry (18) of the interferometer, with the signal processing unit (17) controlling the interferometer such that a light beam exits the measuring beam exit (12) only during the measuring of measuring signals essentially with a predetermined light intensity and at a predetermined angle. |
| US07663762B2 |
High-speed transmission system comprising a coupled multi-cavity optical discriminator
This invention generally relates to an optical filter for a fiber optic communication system. A coupled multi-cavity optical filter may be used, following a directly modulated laser source, and converts a partially frequency modulated signal into a substantially amplitude modulated signal. The optical filter may compensate for the dispersion in the fiber optic transmission medium and may also lock the wavelength of the laser source. |
| US07663760B2 |
Method for calculating optical constants and substrate processing system
An optical constant calculation method capable of calculating an accurate optical constant of an underlayer film to accurately identify a substrate surface structure. After each of films is layered on a wafer, there are measured the reflectivity of an oxide film under which an organic insulation film is formed and the reflectivity of an organic insulation film exposed after removal by plasma of the oxide film. Based on the measured reflectivities, the optical constant of the organic insulation film after being altered by heat treatment and the optical constant of the organic insulation film after being altered by plasma are calculated. |
| US07663756B2 |
Cavity enhanced photo acoustic gas sensor
Devices and method for photo acoustically detecting a gas are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a gas sensor includes an optical cavity defined by one or more optical segments separating at least two mirrors. A photo acoustic cell, configured to receive a gas from the surrounding environment, is provided at least partially within one or more of the optical segments of the optical cavity. One of the at least two mirrors is configured to couple electromagnetic radiation into the optical cavity and to interact with the gas. A detector is acoustically coupled to the photo acoustic cell to detect absorption of the electromagnetic radiation by the gas. |
| US07663755B2 |
Determination of light absorption pathlength in a vertical-beam photometer
Photometric methods for determining optical pathlength of liquid samples containing analytes dissolved or suspended in a solvent are provided that rely on determining a relationship between the light absorption properties of the solvent and the optical pathlength of liquid samples containing the solvent. This relationship is used to establish the optical pathlength for samples containing an unknown concentration of analyte but having similar solvent composition. Methods are also provided for determining the concentration of analyte in such samples where both the optical pathlength and the concentration of analyte are unknown. The methods may rely on separately determining, at different wavelengths of light, light absorption by the solvent and light absorption by the analyte. Light absorption by the analyte, together with the optical pathlength so determined, is used to calculate the concentration of the analyte. |
| US07663752B2 |
Polarization modulation imaging ellipsometer
A polarization modulation imaging ellipsometer capable of measuring ellipsometric parameters of the surface of a sample for each of the measured points with high precision and at high speed, which has a light source unit that emits light whose intensity periodically changes at a predetermined frequency; an incident-light optical unit having a collimator, a polarizer, and a photoelastic phase modulator which modulates light emitted from the light source unit an emitted-light optical unit having an analyzer which analyzes a polarization state of light that has been reflected from or transmitted through the sample and a two-dimensional detector which converts light received from the analyzer to an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal; and a control/analysis unit which operates the light source unit and the photoelastic phase modulator at the same frequency, and calculates ellipsometric parameters of each of the measured points. |
| US07663748B2 |
Autofocus mechanism for spectroscopic system
An autofocus mechanism for a spectroscopic system determines a time varying optical property of a volume of interest. The mechanism measures the fluctuations of the optical property of the volume of interest for determining the position of the volume of interest. The spectroscopic system focuses an excitation beam into the determined volume of interest and collects return radiation emanating from the volume of interest for spectroscopic analysis. Preferably, inelastically scattered radiation of an excitation beam is separated from elastically scattered radiation for spectroscopic analysis. The elastically scattered radiation of the excitation beam is measured for fluctuations of the optical property of the volume of interest. A control loop maximizes the amplitude and/or intensity of the fluctuations and specifies the position of a volume of interest e.g. the center of a capillary vessel. |
| US07663747B2 |
Contamination monitoring and control techniques for use with an optical metrology instrument
A technique is provided for monitoring and controlling surface contaminants on optical elements contained within the optical path (or sub-path) of an optical metrology instrument. The technique may be utilized in one embodiment in such a manner as to not require that additional components and/or instrumentation be coupled to, or integrated into, existing metrology equipment. Surface contaminants on optical elements within an optical metrology instrument are monitored so that cleaning procedures can be performed as deemed necessary. The cleaning procedures may include the use of exposing the optical elements to optical radiation. The optical metrology instrument may be an instrument which operates at wavelengths that include vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) wavelengths. |
| US07663743B2 |
Sensing system
In a first aspect according to the invention there is provided a sensing system 100, suitable for sensing the stage of processing of a wafer 200, said sensing system 100 comprising receiving means 110 in the form of a first photosensitive device 110a and a second photosensitive device 110b, detector 120, a comparator 130 and a control system in the form of a programmable logic controller (PLC) 140. The first photosensitive device 110a receives light from the wafer 200, while the second photosensitive device 110b receives ambient light. The light received by the first photosensitive device 110a can be incident ambient light reflected off the surface of the wafer 200, refracted light radiating through the wafer 200, filtered light radiating through the wafer 200 or translucent light radiating through the wafer 200. It is further envisaged that the received light may be filtered through filters (not shown) before being received by the photosensitive devices 110a&b. The detector 120 then generates a wafer control signal associated with the color(s) of the light received from the wafer 200. The wafer control signal produced by the detector 120 is then compared by a comparator 130. Once the comparator 130 has compared the wafer control signal to the predetermined values, this indirectly indicates the level of processing of the wafer 200. The PLC 140 then controls the further processing of the wafer 200 according to the result of the comparison. |
| US07663742B2 |
Lens inspection system using phase contrast imaging
The present invention relates to an inspection system for the automatic inspection of ophthalmic lenses, preferably in an automated lens manufacturing line. The inspection system provides a phase contrast imaging unit and an inspection method using said phase contrast imaging unit designed to recognize defective lenses with an improved degree of reliability but that does not falsely sort out perfect lenses. |
| US07663741B2 |
Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, calibration method and computer program product
To calibrate a lithographic apparatus contrast in the aerial image is measured for a plurality of different settings of available manipulators of the projection system. Appropriate settings of the manipulators are determined as those giving the maximum contrast values. |
| US07663740B2 |
Optical power measuring apparatus capable of monitoring status of optical fiber contact end
The present invention provides an optical power measuring apparatus capable of monitoring the status, such as cleanness, of an optical fiber contact end face. The disclosed optical power measuring apparatus includes a microscope camera module, an illuminating module, an optical element, an optical power detection unit, a display unit and a central processing unit. The present invention may switch between optical fiber contact end status monitoring and optical power measurement. The apparatus can simplify the complicated steps for an optical fiber to insert to and pull from an optical microscope and then insert to an optical power meter. It can help a user to measure the correct optical power rapidly. |
| US07663729B2 |
Arrangement of photo spacer material
This invention discloses a photo spacer material arrangement method. The method is used for a flat display apparatus that comprises at least one photo spacer, a panel, and a substrate. The photo spacer material provides a fixed distance between the panel and the substrate. The photo spacer material arrangement method comprises providing an area unit composed of N×N sub-area units with multiple columns and multiple rows. In order to provide P photo spacers for uniform distributing on sub-area units with an arrangement mode, there is only one photo spacer in each column, and there is only one photo spacer in each row in sub-area units. |
| US07663727B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a display panel; plural first semiconductor chips mounted on the periphery of a first side of a substrate forming the display panel in a first direction; and first power source wiring layer provided on the periphery of the first side substrate. A location of a bump electrode of the first semiconductor chip provided on one end in the first direction, the bump electrode being connected to the first power source wiring layer, is different from a location of a bump electrode of the first semiconductor chip provided on the other end in the first direction, the bump electrode thereof being connected to the first power source wiring layer. |
| US07663726B2 |
Liquid crystal apparatus and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal apparatus includes a liquid crystal display panel including two substrates with liquid crystal interposed therebetween, a conductive layer provided on an outer surface of at least one of the substrates, a flexible board electrically connected to the liquid crystal display panel, and a tape-like conductive member providing an electrical connection between the conductive layer and a grounding wire of the flexible board. |
| US07663725B2 |
Driving device and a liquid crystal display including the same
A driving device including a board on which a timing controller for signal processing and a memory are mounted, the board having a conductive field, in which the conductive field has a non-contact region which is coated with an insulating material, and an exposed contact region which is not covered with the insulating material, the exposed contact region formed adjacent to the timing controlling or the memory, a conductive member disposed in the exposed contact region, and a shield covering the board and electrically connected to the conductive field via the conductive member. |
| US07663718B2 |
Very thin achromatic quarter wave film laminate for transflective LCD and method for producing the same
Disclosed herein is an very thin achromatic quarter wave film laminate for transflective LCD included in an LCD polarizer. More specifically, the very thin achromatic quarter wave film laminate for transflective LCD has a considerably reduced thickness, as compared to conventional quarter wave films in which anisotropic polymeric films are laminated. |
| US07663713B2 |
Light guide plate for a display panel having arcuate grooves formed in the incident and upper surfaces
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel and an illumination device. The illumination device has a light guide plate and at least one spot light source on at least one side surface of the light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a large number of upper-surface arcuate cross-sectional grooves in a direction orthogonal to the one side surface on a surface thereof which faces the liquid crystal panel, and a large number of light-incident-surface arcuate cross-sectional grooves are formed in a thickness direction of the light guide plate on at least a portion of the one side surface which faces a position at which the spot light source is arranged. A relationship is provided between a contact angle Oa of the upper-surface arcuate cross-sectional grooves and a contact angle Ea of the light-incident-surface arcuate cross-sectional grooves. |
| US07663711B2 |
Liquid crystal display and methods of fabricating and repairing the same
A liquid crystal display comprising first and second switching elements connected to a first signal line; a signal line pair including a second and a third signal line connected to the first and second switching elements, respectively; a first pixel pattern connected through a first connection terminal of the first switching element; a second pixel pattern connected through a second connection terminal of the second switching element; a storage electrode line overlapping with the first and second pixel patterns; and a repair portion for electrically connecting the first and second pixel patterns to each other through a repairing process. |
| US07663705B2 |
Light propagation characteristic control apparatus, optical display apparatus, light propagation characteristic control program, optical display apparatus control program, light propagation characteristic control method and optical display apparatus control method
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a light propagation characteristic control apparatus which extends the light-intensity dynamic range and the number of levels, and are suited for enhancing image quality and reducing the size and generation time of tables. Exemplary embodiments provide a projection display apparatus that tentatively decides a transmissivity T2 of each pixel of a color-modulation light valve depending upon HDR display data, and decides a transmissivity T1 of each pixel of an intensity-modulation light valve depending upon a tentatively decided transmissivity T2 and the HDR display data, and a control value of each pixel of the intensity-modulation light valve depending upon a decided transmissivity T1. Depending upon a decided transmissivity T1 and the HDR display data, transmissivity T2 is decided of each pixel of the color-modulation light valve. Depending upon a decided transmissivity T2, a control value is decided of each pixel of the color-modulation light valve. |
| US07663703B2 |
Video processing apparatus and video processing method
A video processing method and apparatus are provided. Video signals including channel information relating to one of a plurality of channels, and video identification information relating to an identity of a picture between signals are received. A receiving quality of each video signal in accordance with the video signals having the same video identification information, but different channel information is evaluated. A picture is displayed by processing a video signal including a best receiving quality among the video signals. Thus, a video signal corresponding to an identical picture is received through a high quality channel to be processed and displayed. |
| US07663702B2 |
Digital video signal processing apparatus and method for adaptive temporal and spatial Y/C separation in multiple directions
A digital video signal processing apparatus and method for adaptive spatio-temporal Y/C separation in multiple directions. In the digital video signal processing apparatus, an adaptive three-dimensional band pass filter (3D BPF) performs Y/C separation using local comb filtering/1D band pass filtering when the edge direction is fixed vertically/horizontally according to spatio-temporal local characteristics of an image using spatio-temporal filters. When the edge direction is not fixed horizontally/vertically, the 3D BPF performs 2D band pass filtering in all directions. Thus, the 3D BPF continuously carries out comb filtering, 1D band pass filtering and 2D band pass filtering according to the spatio-temporal local characteristics of the image. |
| US07663701B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for noise reduction
Systems, methods, and apparatus for noise reduction include noise estimation from blanking interval information. Such systems, methods, and apparatus may also include temporal filtering, scene change detection, inverse telecine, and/or DC preservation. |
| US07663700B2 |
Combination of recorded program index and EPG
A television system has a television viewing mode and a guide mode. The guide mode includes an electronic program guide (EPG), which provides the viewer program information for tuned programs, and a tape index guide (TIG), which provides information for programs recorded on a video cassette. In both guides, real time images of a program are displayed in a PIP window on the television screen and guide information is displayed in the background. In both guides, the viewer may switch between a currently telecast program or a recorded program. The viewer may access either guide from the television mode and vice versa. In the guide mode, the viewer may independently switch the guide information and the type of program, i.e., tuned or recorded, in the PIP window. |
| US07663697B2 |
Sync-threshold adjust
An apparatus, system, and method for determining an operational threshold level for distinguishing between video data and synchronization data in a video signal, are described herein. |
| US07663694B2 |
Digital camera
A digital camera includes an image sensor unit which is fixed to a camera body, the image sensor incorporating an image sensor package including an image sensor, and a reference plate which serves as a positional reference when fixed to the camera body, the image sensor package being mounted to the reference plate; and an adjusting device, incorporated in the image sensor unit, for adjusting at least an inclination of the image sensor with respect to a reference surface of the reference plate. |
| US07663693B2 |
Camera module
A camera module is provided. The camera module comprises: a lens; a holder having a lower portion, the holder holding the lens; a circuit board; and an image sensing and processing unit including an image sensing device and an optional signal processing device stacked on and electrically connected to the image sensing device, the image sensing and processing unit being packaged on one side of the circuit board; wherein the holder is fixed on the circuit board, the image sensing and processing unit inside the lower portion of the holder. Further, if the circuit board is a flexible circuit board, then a hard plate can be disposed on the other side of the flexible PCB corresponding to the image sensing and processing unit in order to enhance the mechanical strength. |
| US07663692B2 |
Infrared close-circuit television camera
The present invention provides an improved infrared closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) camera installed with rechargeable batteries on a rotary stand. When power supply is normal, electrical power is stored into the rechargeable batteries, which supply power to the CCTV camera, in case of power failure or damages to the power system due to fire outbreak. In this way, the CCTV camera can transmit monitored images to the monitoring center. Moreover, in case of fire or power failure, the rechargeable batteries supply power to the LED lighting sets, which automatically glitter for emergency escape illumination. Furthermore, when night illumination is less than 5 Lux during normal power supply, the LED lighting sets automatically glitter for night illumination. |
| US07663691B2 |
Image capture using display device as light source
A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.). |
| US07663690B2 |
Camera executing strobe photographing using filters
A digital camera configured to carry out a strobe photographing is provided. The digital camera includes an imaging optical system, which forms an optical image of an object with its background, an image capturing system configured to capture the optical image of the object and the background, a color temperature sensor configured to detect a color temperature of the object and the background illuminated with external light, a white balance adjusting system configured to adjust a white balance of the image captured by the image capturing system, and a color temperature converting filter inserted in an optical path of light which passes through the imaging optical system to form the optical image when the strobe photographing is carried out. The color temperature converting filter converts the color temperature of the external light to a predetermined value. |
| US07663688B2 |
Image capture apparatus and focus adjustment method
With a half press of a shutter button, a focus lens is moved from a near distance end to a far distance end of a predetermined search range, and AF evaluation values are calculated. Based on the AF evaluation values, a maximum evaluation value and a first lens position corresponding to the maximum evaluation value are detected. If the maximum evaluation value is larger than a threshold value and the first lens position is not located at the near distance end or the far distance end, the first lens position becomes an in-focus position. If the first lens position is, for example, at the near distance end, the focus lens is moved within an extended search range set on the near distance side, and the maximum evaluation value is obtained. A second lens position corresponding to the maximum evaluation value becomes the in-focus position. |
| US07663684B2 |
Charge transfer device and a solid state imaging device using the charge transfer device
An electric charge transfer apparatus comprising a plurality of vertical charge transfer devices for transferring a signal electric charge, a plurality of charge-discharging circuit sets formed next to each of the plurality of vertical charge transfer device, and an output circuit for outputting the signal electric charge transferred by the plurality of charge-discharging circuits to outside of the electric charge transfer apparatus. Each of the plurality of charge-discharging circuit sets includes at least two charge-discharging circuits for discharging the signal electric charge transferred by at least one of adjacent vertical transfer devices consecutively to avoid an electrical barrier caused by left-behind electric charge. |
| US07663680B2 |
Arrangement of circuits in pixels, each circuit shared by a plurality of pixels, in image sensing apparatus
In an image sensing apparatus having a plurality of unit cells, each including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a common circuit shared by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, arranged in either one or two dimensions, the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged at a predetermined interval. |
| US07663679B2 |
Imaging apparatus using interpolation and color signal(s) to synthesize luminance
An imaging apparatus is provided and includes a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; and a image data-generation unit that generates image data represented by a first luminance signal and a color-difference signal, based on signals from the plurality of the photoelectric conversion elements. The plurality of photoelectric conversion elements include a photoelectric conversion element for obtaining a second luminance signal. In the image data-generation unit, a signal in each pixel position of image data to be generated is interpolated, a third luminance signal is generated in the each pixel position from the interpolated signal, and the first luminance signal in the each pixel position is generated by synthesizing the second and third luminance signals. |
| US07663669B2 |
Imaging apparatus including an XY-address-scanning imaging device, imaging method, and recording medium
An imaging apparatus includes an integrating unit to integrate pixel values of pixels in each of a plurality of areas of an image; a holding unit to hold integration values generated by the integrating unit; an operating unit to operate a waveform of a differential value between integration values of the same areas in two images having a phase difference of flicker of 180 degrees; an extracting unit to extract phase and amplitude of the flicker on the basis of the waveform operated by the operating unit; a selecting unit to select a waveform of the flicker on the basis of shutter speed of the imaging apparatus; and a correcting unit configured to correct the pixel values of the pixels by using a correction value based on the flicker waveform selected by the selecting unit and the phase and amplitude extracted by the extracting unit. |
| US07663667B2 |
Scan conversion device and electronic camera
A scan conversion device includes a first buffer unit, a pixel packing unit, a second buffer unit, and a scan output unit. The first buffer unit stores therein pixel signals of the input image on every line in a main scanning direction thereof. The pixel packing unit groups N (N≧2) pixel signals on each line into pixel signal packs according to a predetermined pixel combination rule, and outputs them sequentially. The second buffer unit stores therein the pixel signal packs and aligns them in a second main scanning direction different from the main scanning direction. The scan output unit sequentially outputs the pixel signal packs aligned in the second main scanning direction. According to this configuration, a scan pattern of the input image is changed into a scan pattern of outputting every N output lines in the second main scanning direction. |
| US07663665B2 |
Communication device and method for transferring video-stream data to a display device and a storage device
An apparatus configured to transfer video-stream data to each of a display device and a storage device with low delay and stability is provided. The apparatus stores video-stream data that is transferred to the storage device without success in a memory when the display device is in the on state, and resends the video-stream data that is transferred to the storage device without success and that is stored in the memory to the storage device when the display device is in the off state. |
| US07663664B2 |
Absolute intensity determination for a fluorescent light source in low level light imaging systems
The invention describes systems and methods to obtain and present imaging data in absolute units. The systems and methods convert relative image data produced by a camera to absolute light intensity data using a compensation factor. The compensation factor accommodates for hardware and specific imaging conditions in the imaging system that variably affect camera output. The present invention determines the compensation factor based on assessing the output of the camera against a known light source for a specific set of imaging conditions in the imaging system. The compensation factor is then stored in memory corresponding to the specific set of imaging conditions. Upon subsequent imaging with the set of imaging conditions, the corresponding compensation factor is called from memory and applied to the camera output. A compensation factor may be determined and stored for each hardware state and imaging condition available to the imaging system. |
| US07663659B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method therefor
An image forming apparatus forms an image by laser beams from a plurality of lasers. The image forming apparatus includes a light amount control circuit that detects displacement in a sub-scanning direction of the main scanning line of a laser beam from the predetermined laser, from a reference position. The apparatus decides an allotted amount of light for each of the plurality of lasers in accordance with the detected displacement and controls to drive each of the plurality of lasers in accordance with the decided allotted amount of light for each laser. |
| US07663652B1 |
Enhanced electronic mail delivery system
The method is implemented using a control program shown in FIG. 1 running on a host-based or a Local Area Network server which receives incoming electronic mail (e-mail) messages over a network, which is connected at least periodically to a Wide Area Network or Internet, and stores the e-mail messages in a recipient's private mail box. The server is responsive to a send list signal from the recipient for sending a summary list of brief headers of the e-mail messages to the recipient so that the recipient can select a specific e-mail message to read. The recipient selects the specific e-mail message to read by sending a selection signal to the server which then makes a decision to determine whether the recipient is an opt-in customer who has given approval to receive e-mail messages with advertisements introduced within the e-mail messages. Assuming that the recipient is an opt-in customer, the server selects from the e-mail messages the specific e-mail message which relates to the selection signal received from the recipient, selects from a plurality of advertisements stored in an associate database an advertisement which corresponds to the recipient's name in the selected e-mail message header and which is aligned with the personal interests of the recipient, and sends the selected e-mail message to the recipient and introduces the selected advertisement within the selected e-mail message as it is sent to the recipient. |
| US07663651B2 |
Image display method and apparatus
An image has pixels arranged in ((M lines)×(N columns)) each pixel having color information. A display has elements arranged in ((P lines)×(Q columns), 1 |
| US07663650B2 |
Display device
A brightness level frequency indicated on a frame basis by an input video signal is accumulated in decreasing order or increasing order of the brightness level so that an accumulated brightness level frequency is calculated for every brightness level. The brightness level corresponding to the accumulated brightness level frequency smaller by a predetermined value than any one of the accumulated brightness level frequencies indicated as maximum is regarded as an effective maximum brightness level. Based on this effective maximum brightness level, the number of sub-fields is determined for assignment to each different brightness segment region. With such a configuration, the resulting display device can lead to favorable halftone representation without causing viewers to feel something is wrong no matter what type of display images. |
| US07663641B2 |
Gamut mapping utilizing cusp points and three-dimensional boundary surfaces
Gamut-mapping from a source device to a destination device is performed in a perceptually linear color space such as CIECAM02 by separating a source image into primary color components and processing each primary component separately by mapping a source cusp point with a destination cusp point. The mapped primary components are then summed and a resultant destination image is obtained. Alternatively, hue rotation is performed by determining a relative position of an input color between the nearest primary and the nearest secondary color in a source hue wheel. The determined relative position in the source hue wheel is used to find a corresponding location in a destination hue wheel so that a hue angle for the destination point can be obtained. In either process, the source and destination points are mapped using a cusp-to-cusp mapping process, and if the source point lies outside of the destination boundary after the cusp mapping, the point is mapped to the three-dimensional surface of the destination gamut. Finally, results of the mapping process are converted from device-independent color appearance space values to tristimulus values, and from tristimulus values to a color space of the destination device. |
| US07663638B2 |
Stroked fill
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to display a stroked fill for an object. A computer-generated rendering is obtained that consists of vector geometry. Closed geometry is obtained in the computer-generated rendering. Lastly, a fill is automatically created. The fill consists of a series of two or more curves, wherein each curve in the series crosses an interior of the closed geometry. |
| US07663636B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatically analyzing digital video quality
An apparatus and method for automatically analyzing digital video quality are provided. The apparatus for automatically analyzing digital video quality includes a video analyzing unit and a result displaying unit. The video analyzing unit analyzes a texture attribute of an input video and analyzes a color attribute of the input video, thereby obtaining a texture attribute analysis result and a color attribute analysis result. The result displaying unit determines whether a reference video for video quality analysis exists or not. When the reference video exists, the result displaying unit determines the texture attribute analysis result as a main component analysis result and the color attribute analysis result as a minor component analysis result, respectively, and displays the determined analysis results on a screen in a form of numerical values and graphs together with the input video. On the contrary, when the reference video does not exist, the result displaying unit determines the texture attribute analysis result as the minor component analysis result and the color attribute analysis result as the major component analysis result, respectively, and displays the determined analysis results on the screen in a form of numerical values and graphs together with the input video. Accordingly, the digital video quality can be automatically analyzed and displayed. |
| US07663633B1 |
Multiple GPU graphics system for implementing cooperative graphics instruction execution
A multiple GPU (graphics processor unit) graphics system is disclosed. The multiple GPU graphics system includes a plurality of GPUs configured to execute graphics instructions from a computer system. A GPU output multiplexer and a controller unit are coupled to the GPUs. The controller unit is configured to control the GPUs and the output multiplexer such that the GPUs cooperatively execute the graphics instructions from the computer system. |
| US07663632B2 |
Method and apparatus for rendering video
Multiple Video Graphic Adapters (VGAs) are used to render video data to a common port. In one embodiment, each VGA will render an entire frame of video and provide it to the output port through a switch. The next adjacent frame will be calculated by a separate VGA and provided to an output port through the switch. A voltage adjustment is made to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) of at least one of the VGAs in order to correlate the video-out voltages being provided by the VGAs. This correlation assures that the color being viewed on the screen is uniform regardless of which VGA is providing the signal. When a VGA is not providing information to the output port, a dummy switch can be selected to provide the video-output of the selected VGA a resistance path which matches the resistance at the video port. |
| US07663631B1 |
Pixel engine architecture
A single-instruction multiple-data processor comprises at least two multiply-accumulator units and associated coefficient memories and data memories. Coefficient memory addresses are formed from a base address and data samples stored in the data memories. |
| US07663624B2 |
Report generating method and apparatus
A method, apparatus and computer program having instructions for storing information in an oscilloscope is provided. The method comprises the steps of storing a screen display in a predetermined format, storing one or more configuration settings associated with the screen display, and storing in memory channel acquisition data associated with the stored screen display. The screen display may also be annotated, the annotation information being stored as well. The stored screen display, one or more associated configuration settings, and stored channel acquisition data, and annotation data, if applicable, may be loaded into the oscilloscope, thereby placing the oscilloscope in the state it was in when the stored data was originally generated. |